News and press releases

September 2013

  1. Philippines tackles migrant workers’ rights, recommends shared migrant data and complaint mechanisms

    09 September 2013

    Government, employers and workers organizations from the Philippines along with organizations and experts on migration recommend better data sharing and a multilateral approach in handling labour complaints, among others, to better protect and promote the rights of migrant workers.

August 2013

  1. Policy dialogue on the mobility of health professionals

    15 August 2013

    The EU-funded ILO - Decent Work across Borders Project organized a policy dialogue and discussed conclusions of commissioned papers on effectiveness of bilateral labour arrangements, working conditions of Filipino and Indian-born nurses in the UK, impact of migration of health professionals and services available to skilled migrants.

  2. Kick-out child labour

    05 August 2013

    In 2011, there were over 3 million child labourers in the Philippines. The National Child Labor Committee has scaled up its campaign to end the worst forms of child labour in the country. This year, a football clinic will be held on Tuesday, September 17 for child labourers in preparation for the Batang Malaya tournament in October.

  3. Children deserve to play: from sugarcane fields to volleyball and football pitches

    01 August 2013

    Fun in the sun was what 167 former child labourers from ILO Interntational Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) areas in Bukidnon had on 11-12 July as part of the province’s celebration of the World Day against Child Labour.

  4. UN Philippines joins celebration of World Breastfeeding Week 2013

    01 August 2013

    This year, the United Nations in the Philippines, represented by the ILO, UNICEF and the WHO joins the rest of the world in commemorating World Breastfeeding Week, and World Breastfeeding Month in August.

July 2013

  1. Increasing the knowledge base for policy decision making: EU and ILO Manila promote decent work agenda for Filipino health professionals

    24 July 2013

    Thousands of Filipino health professionals migrate every year for work raising important questions related to the global shortage and inequitable distribution of health professionals in and between many countries and the conditions under which their migration experience takes place.

June 2013

  1. ILO and BDA ink partnership to support peace building in Mindanao

    18 June 2013

    The International Labour Organization and the Bangsamoro Development Agency today signed an agreement that will contribute to peace building efforts through local economic development, decent work and sustainable livelihoods in Mindanao.

  2. A new day rises - peace finally comes to Bondoc Peninsula

    10 June 2013

    Armed conflict has ceased to be a regular fare for the poor people of Bondoc Peninsula, once a hotbed of insurgency, in Quezon Province. The cycle of poverty, lack of decent work and conflict kept development at bay.

May 2013

  1. Australian Aid and ILO support sustainable livelihoods in the Philippines' worst typhoon-hit areas

    23 May 2013

    Almost five months after typhoon Pablo (Bopha) hit the province of Davao Oriental in eastern Mindanao, Philippines, disaster-affected families in the municipalities of Baganga, Cateel and Boston still need help.

  2. International Nurses’ Day: EU and ILO Manila promote decent work agenda for Filipino health professionals

    06 May 2013

    Thousands of Filipino health professionals migrate every year for work raising important questions related to the global shortage and inequitable distribution of health professionals in and between many countries.

April 2013

  1. Island-wide consultations on the Batas Kasambahay (Domestic Workers Law)

    18 April 2013

    Public consultations on the rules and regulations of the Batas Kasambahay (Domestic Workers Law) were held nationwide. According to the Department of Labor and Employment, the Kasambahay Law fulfills the Philippine obligation to enact a national legislation in compliance with ILO Convention 189 Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers.

March 2013

  1. Survey on assessing working condition of Asian-Born Nurses in UK

    11 March 2013

    The EU-funded International Labour Organization project on Decent Work Across Borders (DWAB) is implementing a project focussing on the international migration of health professionals between the Philippines, India and Viet Nam to Europe. The ILO-DWAB is documenting working conditions of foreign trained nurses in the United Kingdom. If you were born in the Philippines, India or Viet Nam and are now working as a nurse in the UK, we would very much like to hear from you! Circulate widely! Survey is open until 31 May 2013.

  2. Online discussion on access and portability of Social Protection for Migrant Workers from 11 – 22 March 2013

    11 March 2013

    During our two week discussion, we'll be looking at the significant gaps in social protection for migrant workers and how these gaps can be filled.

  3. Enhancing the rights of indigenous peoples in the context of ILO Convention 169

    01 March 2013

    “Indigenous peoples’ lives are within the land,” as a Subanen tribal leader said. However, indigenous peoples continue to face struggles in relation to their rights, culture and ancestral domains. They often feel helpless, not knowing who to turn to.

February 2013

  1. DWAB online photo competition: Final judging

    20 February 2013

    Decent Work Across Borders together with the Alliance of Young Nurse Leaders (AYNLA) culminated its online photo competition last 20 February 2013 with the final judging of entries based on first round of judging which yielded twenty one photos. The entries were submitted by different young health professionals, mostly nurses, based in the Philippines and abroad. The judges were composed of the ILO Manila Senior Program Officer, a Program Officer from the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines, a seasoned local and international photojournalist and the President of one of the health professional organizations in the Philippines.

  2. Consultation Meetings with Different Stakeholders on the Assessment of the Effects of Bilateral Labour Arrangements (BLA)

    04 February 2013

    A roundtable discussion was conducted last 11 February 2013 at the ILO auditorium where Ms. Makulec presented the initial result of the interviews. Twenty five participants from the tripartite partners of the ILO DWAB actively participated in the discussions and expressed their interest and commitment to the assessment. Ms Makulec will be in Manila in July to present the final research study.

  3. Training for Police Officers on Workers' Rights and Government Officials on International Labour Standards

    01 February 2013

    Police and government officials were trained on workers’ rights and international labour standards in relation to handling disputes and adopting a more human rights approach.

January 2013

  1. National child labor committee adopts good practices criteria to end child labour

    18 January 2013

    The National Child Labor Committee unanimously voted to adopt good practices criteria in programmes to eliminate and prevent child labour in the Philippines.

  2. Asia leads world in domestic worker numbers but legal protection, working conditions lag

    09 January 2013

    More than 21 million people across Asia and the Pacific – 80 per cent of them women – are employed as domestic workers, according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

  3. ILO to launch global report on domestic workers

    07 January 2013

    A new report on the conditions of domestic workers worldwide will be launched by the International Labour Organization (ILO) on Wednesday, 9 January 2013 at 18:00 Manila Time (10:00 GMT).