THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) ordered the Philippine branch of the producer and marketer of packaged food to regularize more than 9,000 workers following findings that the firm and its contractors were engaged in the illegal labor practice of contractualization.

Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello 3rd issued the order to Dole Philippines, Inc., affirming an earlier ruling of the DOLE Regional Office 12 in South Cotabato, declaring the company to be engaged in labor-only contracting arrangements and its service providers as labor-only contractors.