Government Workshop: Policy Mapping towards a Decent Work Country Programme

The Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) are based on ILO principles and standards, priorities of the government, employers’ and workers’ organizations, and national objectives.

The ILO in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) brought together national government agencies in a workshop to map policies and to formulate priorities and outcomes that are grounded in Results-based Management (RBM) that support the Decent Work agenda in the context of the “whole of government approach”. Identifying priorities, outcomes and outputs is crucial in drafting the DWCP 2018-2024.

“We see the Decent Work Country Programme as our concrete action plan to contribute in achieving our shared objective sin the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022. Attaining decent work is a vision shared by all,” said DOLE Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod.

The DWCP is anchored on the national policy and development agenda, which will contribute to relevant components of the Philippine Development Plan, AmBisyon 2040, the DOLE’s labour and employment agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

“The government plays a key role in formulating the DWCP as it creates an enabling environment to realize decent work through policies and programmes. We aim to engage and to support the “whole of government approach” to promote and to realize decent work for Filipinos and the contribution of the Philippines to the Sustainable Development Goals,” said ILO Director Khalid Hassan.

DOLE Assistant Secretary Ale Avila presented findings of the Decent Work Country Diagnostics and connected to national priorities and outcomes. Meanwhile, Ms Diane Lynn Respall, Senior Programme Officer a.i. of the ILO Country Office for the Philippines explained the theory of change as a powerful tool to link interventions with outcomes.

Workshop outputs included priorities for decent work, synergies and links; results chains, indicators and parameters; and assessment of factors for results as well as identification of constraints, risks and gaps.

Atty Ernesto Benedicto Bitonio, Jr facilitated the workshop and requested government agencies to also look into the future of work and the impact of science, technology and innovation on employment, including distribution issues with link to productivity. He also highlighted the quality of employment and how economic growth translates to jobs. He also stressed the need to promote fundamental principles and rights at work, inter alia.