QUEZON CITY—To formally communicate the audit findings, observations and recommendations, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Internal Quality Audit (IQA) Team and the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) Quality Management System (QMS) Committee convened for a closing meeting on April 8, 2026.

The meeting served as the conclusion to the internal quality audit (IQA) conducted on March 26, 2026 at the Main Office and National Capital Region Arbitration Branch (NCRAB), aimed at evaluating the agency's adherence to the ISO 9001:2015 standards, and to prepare the Commission for the external audit and readiness for continued ISO certification.

The IQA Team, composed of Mr. Claro Emmanuel M. Lavado and Ms. Ednaloy T. Villahermosa of DOLE, and Millyscent T. Gutierrez of the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), reported a successful audit overall, notably finding no major or minor non-conformities.

Good practices were cited in NLRC operations which include the regular conduct of training needs assessment, development of modules for new employees’ orientation, issuance of a policy on the use of information and communications technology (ICT) resources, and designation of internal quality auditors.

The IQA Team presented three primary areas for improvement, where the NLRC can strengthen its internal processes, such as: the adoption of preventive maintenance for ICT equipment; issuance of action reports on the Work Environment Measurement conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) in August 2025 to ensure that any findings are systematically addressed and documented; and strengthening of 201 file management to maintain real-time accuracy in employee records per rules of the Civil Service Commission.

Members of the NLRC-QMS Committee expressed their appreciation for the IQA Team’s insights, affirming that the recommendations would be integrated into their action plans.

“We thank the efforts, guidance, and constructive feedback of the internal auditors. These are necessary for our continuous improvement, and we do commit and affirm the continuous implementation of the QMS,” Executive Labor Arbiter and NLRC-QMS Committee Chairperson Cherry Sarmiento said.

Through the internal quality audit, the NLRC continues to demonstrate its commitment to quality management and service—ensuring that the mechanisms of labor justice are supported by a backbone of efficient, safe, and transparent administrative operations.
 

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