A labor official said on Friday that over PHP17 million in monetary awards were granted to some 695 workers in Central Visayas who filed labor disputes against their employees through the Single-Entry Approach (SEnA) during the first quarter of 2024.

Lilia Estillore, regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Central Visayas, said the amount was awarded after a total of 815 requests for assistance reached the SEnA Desk of DOLE-7 from January to April this year.

She hailed DOLE-7’s Tri-City Field Office covering the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu which registered the biggest monetary benefits at PHP8.5 million released to 379 workers.

“DOLE-7 continues to promote the SEnA as an alternative dispute resolution scheme whereby the parties requesting assistance are provided with an accessible, speedy, impartial, and inexpensive settlement procedure of their labor and employment issues through a 30-day mandatory conciliation-mediation,” Estillore told the Philippine News Agency.

Meanwhile, a total of 140 workers from Cebu province collectively benefited from the PHP4.8 million monetary awards.

In Negros Oriental, 103 workers received about PHP3 million after the successful conduct of SEnA conferences.

The program also facilitated the release of over PHP658,000 to 48 workers from Bohol province, and PHP420,000 to some 26 workers in Siquijor province.

SEnA was institutionalized through Republic Act No. 10396 on March 14, 2013. (PNA)