The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) and the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) signed an agreement recently to expand social programs and services for formal labor and migrant workers.

Labor Secretary Francis N. Tolentino, NAPC Secretary Lope B. Santos III, and NAPC-Formal Labor and Migrant Workers Sectoral Council (FLMWSC) Sectoral Representative Danilo A. Laserna signed the memorandum of agreement on 29 July at the DoLE Central Office in Manila.

The signing marks the third agreement between DoLE and NAPC in support of the sectoral council. The partnership continues funding for training grants under the Bureau of Labor Relations’ Workers’ Organization Development Program (WODP) Plus.

Since 2017, DoLE has approved approximately P1.4 million in WODP training grants for the council.

“We are here not only to clarify an agreement, but to make space to listen to various sectors, to push for the right advocacy, and to participate in the broader work of NAPC,” Tolentino said.

The agreement aims to improve access to DoLE initiatives, including scholarship grants, youth employability programs, livelihood assistance, and job opportunities.

Following the ceremony, Tolentino held a dialogue with FLMWSC representatives to address key labor issues, including worker participation in national policy mechanisms, labor-management cooperation, and occupational safety and health.