All labor inspection activities in all regions, except as herein below provided, are hereby suspended effective December 1, 1998 until January 18, 1999.

The following activities are not covered by this suspension order:

1. The investigation of labor standards complaints which should fall in all cases be speedily disposed of;
   
   
2. Technical safety inspections (e.g. inspections of boilers, pressure vessels, mechanical and electrical installations); and
   
   
3. Urgent inspections called for because of compelling circumstances, in which case, the Regional Office concerned shall seek the approval of the Secretary of Labor and Employment before any such inspection shall be conducted.

Report on the above activities shall be accomplished in every case, as required under existing rules and regulations.

The period of suspension, in particular, will be utilized for disposing of pending labor standards cases, updating the list of inspectionable establishments in the regions, improving the Labor Standards Enforcement Monitoring Systems (LSEMS) and preparing the inspection program for 1999 in accordance with existing rules and policies.

For strict compliance.

Adopted: 17 November 1998

(SGD.) BIENVENIDO E. LAGUESMA
Secretary