GUIDELINES FOR THE OPERATION OF QUICK RESPONSE TEAMS (DOLE QRT RESPONSE BALIK TRABAHO

The formation of QRTs is a strategy to monitor industry closures and retrenchment due to the adverse effects of globalization and economic crises, and to provide immediate and integrated package of assistance to displaced workers including their dependents. Such package of assistance shall include existing DOLE programs, including:

1. Delivery of employment services such as job matching and referrals, employment guidance and counseling, skills re-training and upgrading and livelihood/entrepreneurship development;

2. Assistance to workers in obtaining their separation benefits and in making informed choices on re-employment options; and

3. Emergency employment and other forms of subsidy to marginalized and less competitive displaced workers and their dependents including out-of-school, out-of-work youth;

As maybe appropriate, activities to be undertaken by a QRT shall be done in coordination with workers associations, employer groups, non-government organization, and government agencies.

QRT Leader : Regional Director
Members : DOLE Regional Coordinating Committee
(TESDA, POEA, NCMB, NLRC)
PESO Managers
Labor and Employer Representatives
(may be members of Regional TIPCs)

Each QRT Regional Coordinator shall be assigned as the focal person who will perform liaisoning function with Central Office and other Regional QRTs.

The QRT shall also assign area-based team members that would immediately provide work-site validation and first line of assistance to displaced workers.

1. QRT Signals. A QRT response is triggered by reports of potential closures/retrenchments from any of the following:

· 30 -day Termination Report
· Report of employers or unions, including local TIPCs, as committed in various social accords/agreements
· As indicated in the DOLE Inspection Report
· A request for dialogue of workers and employers
· Worker's complaints
· Non-payments of mandatory remittances of the establishment
· Calamities and disasters

2. First Line of Assistance. Based on the reports of displacements, the QRT should undertake the following activities and assistance should undertake the following activities and assistance within 5 days after notification:

· Profiling of Workers
· On-site Registration and Needs Assessment
· Employment Guidance and Counseling
· Facilitation of Payment of Separation Pay

3. Employment Services. Based on the preliminary needs assessment, the QRT should deliver any or a combination of the following employment services within 3 months after the displacement:

· Employment Facilitation for the wage employment, local and overseas, using available facilities (Phil-Jobnet, jobs fair and referral)
· Information and certification for SSS Loan Availment
· Skills Retraining or Upgrading
· Referral to other DOLE programs
· Referral of qualified displaced workers to other government and non-government organizations for technical and financial assistance for livelihood or self-employment

The TESDA and its regional offices shall be the main provider of skills training assistance programs with its Training Assistance for the Displaced Workers. For this purpose, training modules should be based on existing demand and should be especially designed to fit homogenous displaced workers particularly those displaced by large establishments.

As much as possible, the assistance to displaced workers shall be covered by the DOLE regular programs and therefore, funded under the General Appropriations Act. However, where resources are inadequate and/or other forms of assistance are necessary other than those that can be covered by the Regional QRTs along the objectives set forth in this Order and to be funded under the DOLE budget line item that may be approved in the future.

Project proposals will be evaluated based on a given set of criteria. If the project proposal will be under the regular program but to be funded out of the special fund for the displaced workers, then the proposal shall be evaluated based on the guidelines and criteria of the regular program. If the proposal is a special project and to be evaluated based on the guidelines and criteria set and processed following the procedures under the DOLE Adjustment Measures Program (DOLE-AMP).

The assistant Secretary for External Affairs shall serve as the DOLE Central Office Focal Person for the QRT operations who shall oversee the operation and monitoring of the Regional QRT activities and projects implemented. The Focal Person shall likewise ensure that all Regional QRTs are adequately trained concerning framework of operation and monitoring system of QRTs. The Focal Person shall be responsible in the submission of regular reports to the Secretary, through the Undersecretary for the Employment.

The DOLE comprehensive Program Package for the Displaced Workers (Department Order No. 6, s. 1997), and the High-Level Composite Team created as the quick reaction team (Administrative Order No. 265) and other related issuances inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. The Secretariat shall ensure the effective transition of these programs.

All existing QRTs created prior to the issuance of Order shall operate under the framework and procedures set in these guidelines.

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