The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is the primary government agency mandated to promote gainful employment opportunities, develop human resources, protect workers and promote their welfare, and maintain industrial peace.

History

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) started as a small bureau in 1908. It became a department on December 8, 1933 with the passage of Act 4121. The DOLE stands as the national government agency mandated to formulate policies, implement programs and services, and serve as the policy-coordinating arm of the Executive Branch in the field of labor and employment.

The organization and functions of the DOLE are in accordance with the provisions of Executive Order No. 126, as amended, the Labor Code of the Philippines , and other relevant and pertinent legislations.

The Department has exclusive authority in the administration and enforcement of labor and employment laws and such other laws as specifically assigned to it or to the Secretary of Labor and Employment.

Vision, Mandate & Strategies

Consistent with the national development plan, its vision is the attainment of full decent and productive employment for every Filipino worker. It is mandated to promote gainful employment opportunities, develop human resources, protect workers and promote their welfare and maintain industrial peace. To contribute in the attainment of the national employment goals, it adopts the following strategies: (1) a gainfully employed workforce, (2) a globally competitive workforce, (3) a secure workforce, and (4) a safe and healthy workforce. Attainment of these strategic goals would be the Department’s contribution to the national goal of reducing poverty.

Strategic Goal 1: a gainfully employed workforce means that workers enjoy gainful employment either as wage worker (locally or overseas), self-employed or entrepreneur.

Strategic Goal 2: a globally competitive workforce means that workers possess demand-driven skills, technical education, and productivity improvement technologies.

Strategic Goal 3: a secure workforce means that workers are accorded with fair and humane terms and conditions of work and social protection.

Strategic Goal 4: a safe and healthy workforce means that workers enjoy a safe and healthy working environment.

To carry out its mandate, the Department has 16 regional offices, 34 overseas posts, 6 bureaus, 7 staff services, and 11 agencies attached to it for policy and program supervision and/or coordination.

Creation of DOLE Regional Office IV-A (CALABARZON)

On January 1977, Presidential Decree 879 mandated the creation of DOLE Regional Office IV (DOLE RO IV). The Regional Office was based in Quezon City with jurisdiction over the towns of Rizal and the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Aurora, Quezon, Romblon, Palawan, Marinduque and Mindoro.

On October 1, 1998, in order to efficiently and better serve the public under its jurisdiction, the DOLE ROIV was relocated in Calamba City, Laguna - the present site of government offices in Region IV-A.

Five years later, wIth Executive Order No. 103, signed by Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the Region 4-A was divided into Region IV-A and IV-B.  The mainland portion of the Region is now known as CALABARZON (IV-A) composed of the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.  The island provinces Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan are collectively known as MIMAROPA (IV-B). However, Aurora Province was turned over to Region 3 due to its immediacy to Central Luzon.

At present, DOLE Regional Office IV-A has a manpower compliment of 151 personnel with five (5) provincial offices - Cavite Provincial Office, Laguna Provincial Office, Batangas Provincial Office, Rizal Provincial Office and Quezon Provincial Office; and with four(4) main support offices namely Mediation Arbitration and Legal Services Unit (MALSU), Technical Support and Services Division - Employment and Welfare (TSSD - EW), Technical Support and Services Division - Labor Relations/Labor Standards (TSSD - LRLS), and Internal Management Services Division (IMSD).