Labor chief’s appointment confirmed 

THE COMMISSION on Appointments (CA) on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of the county’s Labor secretary. 

“With the country’s current employment rate at 94.8% in July 2022, I trust that Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma as Labor secretary endeavors to further improve this number so that no Filipino will be left behind in life,” Senator Joseph Victor G. Ejercito told a hearing streamed live on YouTube. 

Mr. Laguesma said his agency would push for measures to protect the rights and welfare of those in the gig economy, including delivery riders and online traders. 

Mr. Laguesma served as Labor secretary under former President Joseph E. Estrada. 

“Now that I have a mandate as Labor secretary, I will continue dialogues with both employers and workers as the Department of Labor and Employment serves both,” he said at the hearing in Filipino. 

“The directive given to us is to unite employers and workers, as well as work through disagreements.” — John Victor D. Ordoñez