The National Conciliation and Mediation Board would like to address the statements in the different articles relative to the complaint of Orophil Shipping Inc. against two maritime voluntary arbitrators (Manila Times dated 22 April 2022; Police Files Tonite dated 23 April 2022; Daily Tribune dated 24 April 2022; Zaman Belcika dated 24 April 2022).

 

The Board hereby clarifies that the involved individuals are NOT MEDIATORS but voluntary arbitrators. All of the press releases issued by Orophil Shipping, Engr. Nelson Ramirez and United Filipino Seafarers refer to NCMB Mediators in the caption. Mediator and Voluntary Arbitrator are two different officers handling labor disputes as provided under the Labor Code. While Mediators are NCMB employees, Voluntary Arbitrators are not employees of the Board or the Department of Labor and Employment. They are accredited by the Board to render arbitration services, as provided under labor laws.

 

Thus, we reiterate that the press releases of Orophil Shipping, Engr. Nelson Ramirez and United Filipino Seafarers as published under the different media are incorrectly captioned. The Board would like the information corrected by the institutions and individuals concerned.

 

The complaint raised by Orophil with the Board against the two voluntary arbitrators, which was received by the Board on 18 April 2022, has been endorsed to the Philippine Association of Voluntary Arbitrators, Inc. on 19 April 2022, for appropriate investigation and recommendation pursuant to the Rules on the Accreditation, De-accreditation, and Delisting of Voluntary Arbitrators (Tripartite Voluntary Arbitration Advisory Council Resolution No. 1, Series of 2017).

 

The case filed at the Ombudsman shall be acted upon in the usual process and proceeding of the said Office.

 

The Board shall not allow these unfortunate cases to distract it from pursuing its mission of maintaining industrial peace across the country and from serving the cause of the maritime industry. It shall remain focused in ensuring effective, fair, and speedy administration of labor justice.