THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has relaunched its online legal query portal, which has been upgraded to make the agency’s services more accessible, responsive, and efficient through digitalization. Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma on Monday said the portal serves as the official online platform where workers, employers, labor groups, and the public can submit questions and concerns related to labor laws and policies. The portal is managed by the DOLE's Legal Service and can be accessed at query.dole.gov.ph. The upgraded system enables more efficient client management, organized documentation, and better tracking of submitted inquiries, allowing the department to provide clearer policy guidance and technical assistance in line with existing labor laws, rules, and regulations. "Through this system, DOLE’s Legal Service can more effectively deliver policy guidance, legal clarification, and technical assistance based on existing labor laws, implementing rules and regulations, and established government policies," Laguesma said. He said the portal does not replace formal complaint filing, inspection procedures, or adjudication processes under the law. Instead, it offers preliminary guidance and clarification to help clients better understand their concerns. He assured the public that face-to-face consultations remain available through the Public Assistance and Complaints Unit (PACU) desks in DOLE offices nationwide. "These face-to-face consultations continue to provide an accessible avenue for individuals who require immediate assistance, clarification, or help navigating labor-related processes," Laguesma said. Around 400,000 workers have benefited from the department’s expanded digitization, he said. "Through the strengthened operations of the DOLE's digital systems and initiatives, the labor department is making government help faster, simpler, and more accessible for millions of Filipino workers and various stakeholders," added Laguesma. DOLE’s Assistance for Request Management System platform logged nearly 101,000 requests for assistance during the first 10 months of 2025, and reduced the average settlement time from 15.87 days in 2024 to 8.39 days this year, an almost 50 percent improvement. Laguesma said the said online platform is used for submitting, tracking, and managing requests for assistance utilized by all offices implementing the Single Entry Approach (SEnA) program. SEnA is an administrative approach that provides a speedy, impartial, inexpensive, and accessible settlement procedure for all issues or complaints arising from employer-employee relations to prevent them from developing into full-blown disputes. Under this method, all labor and employment disputes undergo a 30-day mandatory conciliation-mediation process to settle with the contending parties. For workers seeking advice or information, DOLE Hotline 1349 continues to serve as a lifeline. From January to Dec. 15, 2025, it had received more than 156,261 calls, Facebook messages, and e-mails, responding to over 162,412 queries. The department also continues to answer questions through its Labor and Employment Assistant (LEA), the website chatbot that gives netizens access to reliable labor information anytime. To ensure that establishments comply with general labor standards, DOLE’s Bureau of Working Conditions has also introduced online systems such as the Online Technical and Advisory Visit and the DOLE Online Compliance Portal.