DOLE opens '15/30' hotline for workers' labor concerns

Workers are seen performing their duties at a construction site in Taguig on February 7, 2024. The labor department encourages workers to report non-compliance with El Nino advisories released late-October.

STAR / Ernie Penaredondo

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment launched a round-the-clock hotline for labor and employment concerns on Tuesday, November 3.

Hotline 15/30 — named after workers' semi-monthly pay on the 15th and 30th — replaces the former 1349 service. 

DOLE said issues that can be brought to the 1530 hotline include unpaid or delayed wages and benefits, illegal dismissal or termination issues and violations of labor standards, among others.

Employees can also flag workplace safety and health concerns through the hotline, including risks related to extreme heat amid a strong El Niño, according to the department.

Access to the 24/7 hotline is currently limited to PLDT subscribers, but Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino said the department is working to expand services. 

DOLE said its 1530 hotline operators will refer the concerns they get to the appropriate DOLE regional or field offices.

Tolentino urged the public to refrain from making prank calls that would distract hotline operators from attending to legitimate concerns.

"Baka mabulunan 'yong linya. Baka 'yong tunay na concerns, lalo (na) 'yong mga riders natin sa El Niño (ay) mahirapang makatawag ... 'Yong mga seryosong mga pangangailangan, lalong lalo na sa workplace: kulang ang ventilation, walang patubig, hindi sumunod sa mga labor advisory tungkol sa El Niño," Tolentino said.

(The lines might get clogged. People with genuine concerns — especially our riders, given the El Niño situation — might find it difficult to get through... There are serious needs, particularly in the workplace: inadequate ventilation, a lack of water supply, and failure to comply with labor advisories regarding El Niño.)

Employers are also allowed to avail of assistance through the hotline, Tolentino added.

The department outlined several advisories in late October to address and manage heat stress during the El Niño period. Included in the advisories are heat index-based guidelines on work arrangements, as well as key protections for delivery riders.

The weather pattern is projected to peak in December 2026 and persist through the first half of 2027.