THE chair of the House labor and employment committee welcomed a memorandum of agreement that seeks to foster collaboration for the promotion and protection of workers’ rights.
“The MOA between the Commission on Human Rights and Department of Labor and Employment is a welcome development in government’s efforts to uphold workers’ rights. I hope that through this MOA we can make significant headway in ensuring that our workers are protected against abuse,” Rizal 4th District Rep. Fidel Nograles said.
The CHR-DOLE agreement came about after the need to enhance coordination among relevant government agencies on the promotion and protection of labor rights was raised during a high-level tripartite meeting organized by the International Labor Organization (ILO) earlier this year.
The MoA aims to improve the conduct of investigations, referral of cases, provision of free legal advice, training and promotional activities, and policy development, particularly on the rights of workers, between the CHR and DOLE.
According to CHR Chairperson Richard Palpal-latoc, the partnership focuses on the promotion of Freedom of Association and the Right to Organize, which are the fundamental rights crucial to ensuring that the workers are treated with dignity, empowered economically, and are allowed to develop themselves to be in their best versions in the workplace.
Nograles, a Harvard-trained lawyer, emphasized the need for government to put in place mechanisms that would allow workers to fully enjoy their rights.
“This will require not only cracking down on employers with abusive practices, but also engaging with employers to discourage such abuses and stress that the protection of workers’ rights is ultimately to the benefit of the organization,” Nograles said.
The lawmaker also expressed confidence that the agreement “is only the first step” in government’s efforts to uphold human rights.
“I’m sure that we can expect more programs as an outcome of this partnership. Eventually, I hope that we can set up a working system involving all stakeholders in upholding workers’ welfare,” the solon said.
About the Author
