IMUS, CAVITE – Building a robust, sustainable local economy requires a delicate balance: supporting business growth while safeguarding the welfare of the workforce. Striking this harmony, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Cavite provincial office teamed up with local authorities to lead a comprehensive regulatory alignment campaign for the city's growing merchant sector. On September 16, 2026, the Function Hall of the New Imus City Government Center served as the training ground for the Technical and Advisory Visit (TAV) 2026. Organized in close coordination with the Imus Public Employment Service Office (PESO), the capacity-building seminar provided direct structural guidance to 64 local business owners and employers.
Transitioning from Enforcement to Guidance
The TAV framework represents a strategic shift in how the government enforces labor laws. Instead of initiating unexpected, punitive corporate audits, DOLE utilizes these advisory visits to offer proactive technical assistance, treating small-scale entrepreneurs as partners in economic development. The intensive coaching sessions were facilitated by DOLE Cavite's specialized technical team, composed of Leonel Casiliha, James Lucena, and Ma. Violeta Malingin. The experts guided the 64 employers through the three core pillars of workplace compliance: General Labor Standards (GLS), which demystified correct minimum wage implementations, mandatory 13th-month pay computations, overtime calculations, and statutory holiday premiums; Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Standards, which educated merchants on creating risk-free workspaces, managing fire safety protocols, and setting up mandatory first-aid emergency toolkits; and DOLE Support Ecosystems, which introduced business owners to localized livelihood assistance programs and institutional dispute resolution mechanisms.
A Unified Push for Local Economic Integrity
The seminar received high-level operational backing from the city's economic planning offices. Imus PESO Officer-in-Charge Cecile Foz led the administrative rollout, while Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions Officer (LEDIPO) Marie Jenneth Vilbar-Lungcay joined the event to align the safety standards with the city's broader investment promotion goals. By ensuring that local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are fully compliant with national mandates, the city government insulates local employers from costly future legal disputes while branding Imus as a premium destination for ethical investments.
Empowering the Imuseño Workforce
According to a post-event statement from the Imus PESO, keeping entrepreneurs well-informed directly creates safer, happier, and far more productive corporate environments for ordinary workers. The activity concluded with an open forum, allowing the 64 delegates to clear up gray areas regarding remote work adjustments and contractual templates. Armed with up-to-date legal literacy, the business community of Imus moves forward better equipped to drive commerce while honoring the rights and dignity of every single Imuseño worker.
