CAR News Briefs:

Cresencia M. Pawingi

NCMB CAR Conducts First ADR Seminar in Kalinga

Regional Conciliation and Mediation Branch – Cordillera Administrative Region (RCMB – CAR) conducted a provincial area-wide seminar on alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in Tabuk, Kalinga on March 17, 2010. This is the first such activity in Kalinga and the fourth in a series conducted by the branch since 2009.

OIC - Director Brenda Rose Odsey and two technical staff served as the core speakers in the seminar. They were joined by Gabriel Bayao, Administrative Assistant of the Branch, and Avelina Manganip of DOLE-Kalinga Provincial Office. Fifty participants from thirty companies attended the seminar.

The seminar, which has for a theme “Emerging Trends in the Resolution of Workplace Disputes,” introduced the ADR program as a whole. Innovations in the topics were integrated to ensure that the participants were able to understand the emerging trends in the resolution of workplace disputes. Topics on labor management cooperation scheme, grievance machinery, and negotiation and conciliation processes were also discussed.

Based on the post training evaluation responses, the participants learned that conciliation mediation, labor management cooperation schemes and grievance handling could be applied not only in the workplace but also at home and in the community.

Additionally, the participants wanted to learn more about employer-employee relationships, productivity incentive schemes, the role of conciliator-mediator, and human relations in the workplace. Other participants wanted the Branch or the DOLE to monitor establishments or companies that are not complying with workers’ statutory benefits.

The positive responses of the participants to this seminar are inspirations for the Branch personnel to continue exploring methodologies and strategies to promote the programs of the NCMB and to contribute to the maintenance of industrial peace in the region.

Kalinga Area Wide Seminar on March 17, 2010 held at Davidson Hotel, Tabuk City, Kalinga