Good News
National Conciliation and Mediation Board
Regional Branch No. 12
January 26, 2017

Koronadal City – Regional Conciliation and Mediation Board XII settlement of the labor dispute filed by the Mindanao Independent Labor Union of Lapanday (MILUL) against Lapanday Foods Corporation over alleged unfair labor practices, RCMB XII Officer-in-Charge Gerie D. Lampitco announced today.

“The union originally filed a Request for Assistance through the DOLE Regional Office 12 in the North Cotabato field office on 16 December 2016,” he added.

The Branch received the endorsed documents from DOLE 12 on 9 January 2017 and was filed as a preventive mediation case. Union alleged management of non-payment of wages, service incentive leave (SIL), holiday pay, and illegal dismissal of sixteen union members.

“The union urged management for the reinstatement of the dismissed union members with full back wages,” Lampitco said.

After the conciliation conference on 25 January 2017, the parties have reached an agreement to settle the preventive mediation case.

Management agreed to reinstate the sixteen dismissed union members.

The union shall assist management in meeting with the Plantation Manager or Supervisor of the reassigned workers.

Parties agreed further to discuss and resolve labor related issues at the company level.
“We accommodated the request of the parties to conduct the conciliation-mediation in DOLE 12 North Cotabato field office in Kidapawan City since the company is located in Arakan Valley,” Lampitco said.

Lapanday Foods Corporation is a fully owned subsidiary of Lapanday Holdings Corporation. It is one of the leading fresh produce growers and exporters in the Philippines. LFC started its operation in Arakan Valley, Barangay Dallag, North Cotabato in 2004. The company provide jobs not only to 4,000 full time employees, but also to over 2,000 small farmers and 15,000 people in related service businesses.

The Mindanao Independent Labor Union o Lapanday (MILUL) is the recognized sole and exclusive bargaining agent of the rank-and-file workers of Lapanday Foods Corporation (LFC) in Barangay Dallag, Arakan Valley, North Cotabato. It has a total of 280 members, represented by Ronilo A. Lumayon, Union President.

END/ Catherine B. Amigo edited by Gillian Pearl L. Guerrero