Quezon City — In line with its institutional commitment to the national directive on digital transformation, the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) conducted a two-day virtual orientation for its employees nationwide on the provisions of the Commission’s policies on the use of electronic mail (e-mail) and information and communications technology (ICT).

A total of six hundred sixty-seven (667) NLRC personnel from the main office and its Regional Arbitration Branches (RABs) participated in the orientation held via Google Meet on June 24 and 25, 2025. This initiative forms part of the awareness campaign on user responsibility and compliance with the guidelines governing the use, management, and security of the Commission’s digital infrastructure and assets.

In her policy directive, NLRC Chairperson Grace E. Maniquiz-Tan emphasized the importance of ensuring that all employees are well-informed and accountable in the use of the Commission’s ICT tools and services. She underscored that digital transformation is not merely a technological shift but a governance imperative aligned with the principles of transparency, efficiency, and public service excellence.

NLRC Sixth Division Commissioner and Computer Emergency Response Team (NCERT) Chairperson Gavino R. Meneses, Jr. expressed his gratitude to all participants and encouraged openness to digitalization.

“Digitalization has proven to be an effective alternative to face-to-face meetings and transactions, but there are still challenges ahead of us. In response to these challenges, and as a significant step toward digital transformation, we formulated the E-mail and ICT Use Policies alongside other government agencies. We hope to disseminate these policies effectively to enhance NLRC personnel’s knowledge and guide them in the performance of their responsibilities,” he said.

The NLRC’s ICT Use and E-mail Policies were issued through Administrative Orders 04-01 and 04-02, Series of 2025, dated April 4, 2025. These cover the proper and ethical use of ICT resources and e-mail accounts, particularly the GovMail system.

RAB IV Executive Labor Arbiter (ELA) and NCERT member Melchisedek A. Guan served as the resource person, presenting the salient provisions of the two policies. The ICT Use Policy covers resources such as desktop and laptop computers, printing equipment, network-attached storage, external or portable devices, software, internet service, cloud storage, digital electronic services, mobile data plans, official social media accounts, and password management.

ELA Guan emphasized that all ICT resources provided by the NLRC are strictly for official use, and personal use is prohibited.

Meanwhile, the E-mail Policy governs all internal and external communications, exchanges, and transactions using the NLRC’s e-mail services. It also includes any actions involving e-mail features or services such as the Calendar, Briefcase, Drive, and Contacts.

Atty. Phoebe S. Valdez and Atty. Nikki Isabel G. Balanquit from the Legal and Enforcement Division discussed the penalties for violations of the policies. According to both policies, any violation may result in disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from government service or termination of contract.

Commissioner Hernan G. Nicdao of the Fifth Division and Commissioner Gina F. Cenit-Escoto of the First Division expressed their full support for the implementation of the E-mail and ICT Use Policies. Commissioner Nicdao underscored the critical role of these policies in equipping NLRC personnel to adapt to the evolving technological landscape and protocols.

Commissioner Cenit-Escoto, on the other hand, encouraged employees to be conscientious and mindful of balancing the benefits of digitalization with the imperative to safeguard the interests of the Commission and its stakeholders.

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