Around 1,048 micro-establishments in the province of Cebu have been compliant with labor laws based on the technical and advisory visit (TAV) conducted by the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (DOLE-7).

Vicencio Lagahid, OIC of Cebu Provincial Field Office (CPFO) – DOLE-7, said there were 749 in northern Cebu and 299 in southern Cebu micro-establishments (MEs) that complied with labor laws.

There were 805 MEs in northern Cebu which mostly came from San Remigio, Madridejos, Bantayan, Tuburan, and the City of Danao that joined DOLE-7's TAV sessions during the third quarter of this year. Meanwhile, 328 MEs from southern Cebu joined the TAV sessions which came from the towns of Alegria, Ginatilan, Balamban, and Dumanjug.

Lagahid identified 56 MEs in north Cebu and 29 MEs in south Cebu which were found non-labor compliant. These MEs admitted to paying their employees below minimum wage.

He said that these MEs were advised either to apply the prescribed wages in the region, register under the Department of Trade and Industry's Barangay Micro Business Enterprise (BMBE), or apply for a wage exemption before the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Central Visayas ( RTWPB-7).

Business owners, who joined the TAV sessions, were guided on how to make an action plan that will help them to become compliant. During the TAV sessions, micro-establishments, or businesses employing less than 10 workers or those family-owned businesses that are assisted by family members are taught about applicable general labor Standards; productivity schemes; child and family welfare; and other DOLE programs, policies, issuances related to SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and the Employees Compensation Commission (ECC) benefits.

Lagahid stressed over 90 percent of MEs in Cebu province are labor-compliant.