THE Federation of Free Workers (FFW), together with the NAGKAISA Labor Coalition, the International Trade Union Confederation, Building Woodworkers International, Education International, and IndustriAll, heralds the Philippine government’s ongoing advancements in labor rights with the ratification of International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 190. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. formally ratified the convention on October 13, 2023, positioning the Philippines as the first Asian country to endorse this significant measure, reinforcing its pledge to cultivate workplaces devoid of violence and harassment.
The FFW anticipates a straightforward concurrence from the Senate on the ratification, bolstered by early resolutions from both the House of Representatives and the Senate endorsing ILO Convention 190 earlier this year.
This prior support promises a swift and uncomplicated concurrence process by the Senate, expected to be procedural rather than contentious.
The Philippine legislative environment has historically paralleled the tenets of ILO Convention 190. Groundbreaking statutes like the enhanced Labor Code by Republic Act No. 6725, the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act (Republic Act No. 7877), and the Safe Spaces Act (R.A. No. 11313) highlight the nation’s commitment to upholding the respect and dignity of all workers.
Adopted on June 21, 2019, by the International Labour Conference, with the support of the Philippine delegation which included FFW, KMU, SENTRO, TUCP, ECOP and the DOLE led by then DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Convention 190 mandates a comprehensive and gender-sensitive strategy to prevent and abolish violence and harassment in the workplace.
The NAGKAISA labor coalition commends this milestone and calls upon the Senate to promptly concur with the ratification, further affirming the Philippines’ role as a vanguard of workers’ rights in both Asia and the international arena
