Workers' representation

Workers' organizations in the Philippines

17 February 2016

Workers' organizations in the Philippines are part of the tripartite structure in promoting labour standards in the country. Their role in advocating workers rights and in the ratification and enforcement of international labour conventions have been crucial throughout the years.

The ILO Country Office for the Philippines (CO-Manila) continues to strengthen the capacity of Workers Organizations - both private and public - in the country to sustain workers' right to freedom of association and collective bargaining. With support from the Bureau of Workers' Activities (ACTRAV), seminars and conferences are jointly designed and conducted. In addition, opportunities to engage in policy review and programme implementation have been made available across various themes such as child labour, domestic work, social protection, youth employment, labour law compliance and safety and health, to name a few. Workers' representation in project advisory committees, together with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and employers' organizations, are also mainstreamed in technical cooperation projects. However, the challenges for workers organizations in the country continue to persist with increasing concern on precarious work, including its limitations on social protection, poor working conditions and the right to organize. In a country like the Philippines where economic growth remains robust and the ASEAN integration is imminent, it is imperative that workers' organizations continue to remain unified, strong and relevant.