The Labor Code of the Philippines is the Codification of all labor laws in the country.  Its promulgation and enactment was signed on May 1, 1974, under Presidential Decree No. 472 by the then President Ferdinand E. Marcos.

However, due to some citations, the actual enactment of the said law took effect on November 1, 1974 which covers the institutionalization of the Bureau of Labor (BOL) with a 'Secretary' as the Head-of-Office.  After two years, the institution's name was changed to The Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE), with a 'Minister' as the head of office.  It was retained until the last quarter of 1980's.   After the  Martial Law, the Philippine government undertook major adjustments in leadership and in re-routing of services on the different government agencies, the labor institution then was renamed as The Department of LAbor and Employment (DOLE).

A year after the institutionalization of BOL in 1974, regionalization followed. With orders coming from the President, a BOL provincial office was created in NAGA City headed by an Administrator. However, due to the pouring of labor complaints & cases from Legazpi City where most of the medium & large establishments/companies are situated during that time, the Naga administrator decided  that a BOL Satellite Office be created in Legazpi City. 

It was on the last quarter of 1975 that the Provincial Office in Naga was transformed into a Regional Office  and the name BOL was also changed to Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office No. V with an acronym DOLE-RO V (DOLE Bicol).  However, with the proclamation of Legazpi City and the Province of Albay as the 'Capital' of Bicol Region, DOLE-RO V, together with other regional offices of national line agencies, were transferred to Legazpi City where it became its permanent home.

The 1st Regional Office in Legazpi City was seated in Balintawak Street, Old Albay, Legazpi City (now being occupied by CATS College). The very first DOLE-V employees were from the central office who were transferred to Bicol.  Only a fraction of these employees were Bicolanos.  

"Puro taga Manila dati dito. Iilan lang kaming taga bicol o may kamag anak na taga bicol na napasama sa na i-deploy noon." Romeo Alanis, a retired Sr. LEO and one of the very first employees of DOLE Bicol recounted. 

The full employment of local staff started in the mid 1980's after the Presidential decree which gave full authority to the Regional Office and the Regional Director to facilitate local staff employment. However, due to the inadequate hiring guidelines, as with other 'young' govenrment agencies before, most of the employees hired during this transition period was either politically motivated or under the 'kapatiran system'.  However, this practice soon change by the mid-1990s when the DOLE Central Office imposed written examinations to applicants for aspiring DOLE Employees.

       SInce then, DOLE-Bicol's hiring program continuously evolved  which produced some of the best DOLE officials in the entire nation.

       Since then DOLE-Bicol has embarked on a continuous journey of providing, probably, the best public service offered to the Bicolanos with emphasis on Labor Relations and Labor Standards. 

On the late 1990's, DOLE-Bicol's focus was redirected to the creation of alternative livelihood and employment generation. But problems beset the office, clients became lesser and lesser. As the stories says, the office was vividly attacked by some propagandist that DOLE-Bicol is allegedly 'invisible' to the public and that its services were "limited". This was considered as the dim years of DOLE-V. But like a butterfly coming our from a cocoon DOLE-Bicol has later on redeemed its name as an organization and as a government office.

In early 2000, a precise U-TURN of DOLE-Bicol's image was prominent to the public.  Massive information campaign on the tri-media coupled with personal appearances of officials, DOLE-Bicol suddenly became the Region's most sought after government office. DOLE-Bicol is now placed-positively at the limelight of both national and regional news. 

In 2003, thru the leadership of the 1st-female, with an unquestioned integrity, Regional Director Ma. Glenda A. Manalo and her partner Asst. Reg. Dir. Atty. Alvin M. Villamor, the image of DOLE-Bicol towerred with an echoing batlle cry of "Obrerong Bicolano, Oragun Ka".  Every Bicolano now knows what DOLE is and what it can do for Bicol's progress. It is also at this time that DOLE-Bicol took the first step in acquiring a 'permanent home' in Legazpi City when the then DOLE Hon. Sec. Patricia A. Sto. Tomas issued an order that all regional offices of DOLE must have its own building. Several locations were visited but the abandoned office building at the heart of Albay, where DOLE-V now rise, was Dir. Manalo's primary choice.  Endless transactions were devoted in pursuit of giving DOLE-Bicol a permanent home but the dream was just too elusive for the Manalo-Villamor team-up due to inavailability of funds.

Succeeding Regional Directors "Father Figure" RD Alex E. Maraan , "Mr. Streamline" RD Gregorio T. Abalos, Jr. & even interim "Mr. Suave" RD Ricardo S. Martinez also devoted thier time, money and effort for the property-building acquisition but still to no avail.

Seemingly and literally, DOLE-Bicol will have to stay homeless in the coming years.

But on March 28, 2008, after almost 8-years of negotiations and 4-regional directors passing, in the time of "Wise Guy" RD Ernesto C. Bihis "Ka Doods"  and Asst. Reg. Dir. Irma S. Valiente "The Ipod Mam" DOLE-Bicol finally moved-in to its new permanent home "Pinky" at Dona Aurora St. Old Albay, Legazpi City. With the acquisition and strategic location of "Pinky", DOLE-Bicol is now more accessible and visible to the public.

With 'Pinky" coupled with the Bihis-Valiente tandem, employees spirits and morale were of the highest. Positive work attitude zipped through the veins of DOLE-linians. Livelihood programs soared. Hundreds of Bicolanos found new jobs and the term employment lingered in every Bicolano mind. This was considered as the glory years of DOLE.

In 2010, DOLE-Bicol transcends again as an organization now with new leadership from the former ARD turned OIC-RD Atty. Alvin M. Villamor "Ang Champion Ng Labor" & Asst. Reg. Dir. Irma S. Valiente. With the new tandem, DOLE-Bicol desires to give its most professional and the fastest public service to the Bicolanos.  The new leadesrhip tagged as the  Double V sa DOLE V ushered new physical improvements in the building "Pinky" constructing the 2nd floor where the Regional Office is now housed and the ground floor was transformed to the DOLE Provincial Field Office Albay (DOLE PFO Albay).

However, in February 1, 2012,  a totally new leadership was placed in DOLE-Bicol. The office is now headed by a two (2) Ilocano tandem, the experiened and most senior regional director and formerly hailed as the youngest asst. reg. dir ever appointed at age 35, Regional Director Nathaniel V. Lacambra "Big Boy Nat" and productivity champion Asst. Reg. Dir. Exequeil Ronie A. Guzman "Mr. Suave".  

For about 2-years and 4-months the Lacambra-Guzman tandem facilitated both technical and physical improvements such as the complete rehabilitation of "Pinky" in which the spacious ground floor was divided to house attached agencies such as the Employees Compensation Commission (ECC), National Reintegration Center (NRCO) and the Occupational Safety and Health Network (OSHNET). The Employees Cooperative (DOLEVEMPCO) and Employees Union (DOVEU) was also officially given an office space while creating an in-house activity center. 

It was also in this leadreship that four (4) all-wheel-drive (AWD) Suzuki multi-cab was acquired whihc now services 4-provincial offices Sorsogon, Masbate, Catanduanes and Camarines Norte. The Lacambra-Guzman tandem also envisioned DOLE-Bicol as an ISO certified organization. However, due to intense documentary requirements the vision is yet to be realized.

On June 2, 2014, another milestone is foreseen in DOLE-Bicol as a new OIC-ARD the long time Mediator-Arbiter Atty. Karina Perida-Trayvilla assumes the Assistant Regional Director post vice ARD Exequiel Guzman. With the assumption of OIC-ARD Trayvilla, DOLE-Bicol, in this Lacambra-Trayvilla tandem is projected to champion an era focused on labor relations and labor standards. 

Time will tell about the would be accomplshiments of this new tandem as a new DOLE-Bicol histroy is currently being written from the time OIC-ARD Karen Trayvilla assumes the post to help her would be "mentor" RD Nathaniel V. Lacambra.

Yes, with every new leadership, the history of DOLE-Bicol shall forever change and more happy-sad stories of granduer, failure and accomplsihments will be addded on this brief history page.  So, let this page be the sole witness of the evolution of DOLE-Bicol and the government service it provides for the Bicolanos with the aim to conquer the fartherst barangay and bring the government's services really closer to the public!

Updated rpescalante062314 1415hrs.

DOLE-ROV ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

Here you will find the complete list of personnel of DOLE-RO V per division/field office for easy reference. To view the list of personnel and thier position simply click the link of the office.

Six (6) Provincial Offices

     Albay Provincial Field Office (PFO Albay)
     Sorsogon Provincial Field Office (PFO Sorsogon)
     Camarines Sur Provincial Field Office (PFO Cam. Sur)
     Camarines Norte Provincial Field Office (PFO Cam. Norte)
     Catanduanes Provincial Field Office (PFO Catanduanes)
     Masbate Provincial Field Office (PFO Masbate)

List of Labor Inspectors
     Active Labor Inspectors
     Reserve Labor Inspectors