Ms. Arlene Dolorosa Muyco, the surviving family member of slain Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) worker Alex Dolorosa, received a rice retailing startup kit during a turnover ceremony on February 12, 2025.
The livelihood assistance was facilitated by the Regional Tripartite Monitoring Body (RTMB) in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office 6.
Dolorosa, a paralegal officer of the BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN) Pilipinas and a passionate LGBTQ+ advocate affiliated with BE GLAD, was tragically stabbed to death on April 24, 2023, in Brgy. Alijis, Bacolod City. His death sent shockwaves through international and local labor and human rights organizations, highlighting the dangers faced by labor advocates in the Philippines.
In response, the RTMB has been actively monitoring developments in Dolorosa’s case while ensuring support for his family. The RTMB, an inter-agency body formed under International Labor Convention No. 87 (Freedom of Association), monitors allegations of harassment, killings, and abductions of trade union members and leaders.
The livelihood assistance initiative aims to provide relief to Dolorosa’s family, as he was the sole breadwinner before his death.
DOLE Regional Office 6, through its Negros Occidental Field Office (DOLE-NOFO), released 20 sacks of rice (25 kilos each) to Ms. Muyco. The Local Government Unit (LGU) of Cadiz City, through its Public Employment Service Office (PESO), facilitated the transport of the goods from Bacolod City to Brgy. Daga, Cadiz City.
This collaborative effort underscores the RTMB’s commitment to supporting the families of labor rights advocates through a holistic approach. The LGU-Cadiz City operates under the supervision of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, an RTMB member agency.
“The RTMB is closely monitoring updates on the case and providing support not only to workers but also to their families to ensure their rights are protected and their welfare upheld,” said DOLE Regional Director and RTMB Chairperson Atty. Sixto T. Rodriguez Jr.
As of the latest RTMB monitoring, court proceedings on Dolorosa’s killing are ongoing at a Regional Trial Court in Negros Occidental.
