Department of Labor and Employment (Philippines)

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE; Filipino: Kagawaran ng Paggawa at Empleo)^[3] is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for formulating policies, implementing programs and services, and serving as the policy-coordinating arm of the executive branch in the field of labor and employment. It is tasked with the enforcement of the provisions of the Labor Code.^[4]

FormedDecember 8, 1933; 92 years ago

Headquarters

DOLE Building, Muralla corner General Luna St., Intramuros, Manila

Employees2,109 (2024)^[1]

Annualbudget

₱41.4 billion (2023) ^[2]

Quick facts Formed, Headquarters ...

Department of Labor and Employment
Department overview
Kagawaran ng Paggawa at Empleo
Logo of the department
Flag of the department
DOLE building, Intramuros, Manila
Formed	December 8, 1933; 92 years ago (1933-12-08)
Headquarters	DOLE Building, Muralla corner General Luna St., Intramuros, Manila
Employees	2,109 (2024)^[1]
Annual budget	₱41.4 billion (2023) ^[2]
Department executives	Francis Tolentino, Acting Secretary Hero S. Hernandez, Head Executive Assistant, Office of the Secretary
Website	www.dole.gov.ph

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History

American colonial period

Beginning as a bureau in 1908, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) was founded on December 8, 1933, by virtue of Act No. 4121 of the Philippine Legislature.^[5] During the Great Depression, the labor department experienced challenges, particularly peasant violence throughout Central Luzon. The first labor secretary, Ramon Torres, proved to be unpopular among sugar workers due to him being a sugar hacendero himself. President Manuel L. Quezon then replaced Torres with Jose Avelino, who was a staunch anti-communist. Ineffective to handle the continued violence, Avelino was replaced with Leon Guinto as its third labor secretary. Unlike his predecessors, Guinto suggested social reforms to the president, albeit, creating a program dubbed "Quezonian communism". He thought that this would counter communism in the Philippines.^[6]^: 232

Republic of the Philippines

It was renamed as the Ministry of Labor and Employment in 1978. The agency was reverted to its original name after the People Power Revolution in 1986.^[7]

List of secretaries of labor and employment

Organizational structure

The department is headed by a Secretary with the following Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries:

Undersecretary for Employment, Human Resource Development, and International Affairs Cluster
Undersecretary for Labor Relations, Policy and Legislative Liaison Cluster
Undersecretary for Workers’ Welfare, Protection, and Legal Affairs Cluster
Undersecretary for General Administration Cluster
Assistant Secretary for Employment, Human Resource Development, and International Affairs Cluster
Assistant Secretary for Labor Relations, Policy and Legislative Liaison Cluster
Assistant Secretary for Workers’ Welfare, Protection, and Legal Affairs Cluster
Assistant Secretary for General Administration Cluster
Assistant Secretary for Legislative Liaison Cluster
Assistant Secretary for Regional Operations Cluster of Luzon and NCR
Assistant Secretary for Regional Operations Cluster of Visayas and Mindanao