The Philippines has reasserted its commitment to fair, equitable, and people-centered interventions to achieve social justice and address the changing patterns of today’s world of work.

In his ministerial statement during the 111th International Labour Conference (ILC) held in Geneva on June 6, which highlighted the country’s efforts toward social justice, Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma recommends a unified approach to formulating human resource development (HRD) policies that address the demands of the current labor landscape.

“We welcome the formulation of an international instrument on apprenticeship as a modality for the development of a high-skilled workforce,” the labor chief said, underlining the importance of mutually recognized educational and skills systems in developing capabilities in the 21st century.

In pushing for social equity, Laguesma also said that enrolling in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) may expand opportunities for lower-skilled workers.

Upskilling through TVET will also improve work opportunities for Filipino overseas migrant workers, many of whom are considered low-skilled workers, he added.

Similarly, the Philippines also reiterated its commitment to protecting and promoting workers’ right to self-organization and collective bargaining following the inquiries made to the country’s compliance with International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 87. These include allegations of violence, intimidation, red-tagging, and harassment committed by State authorities against workers while exercising their trade union rights.

As recommended by the High-Level Tripartite Mission on trade union rights authorized by ILO in 2019, the Philippines created an interagency committee composed of representatives from the tripartite bodies, which has already provided concrete actions to the issues raised during the 107th ILC.

“We have made sure that sectoral representation in the tripartite mechanisms is genuine… All newly appointed worker and employer representatives have come from the nominees of our social partners,” Laguesma said in his speech

Aside from HRD and welfare protection, social protection remains a key government convergence strategy to ensure social justice and equity through providing primary services and welfare assistance to vulnerable sectors of society, including displaced and informal-sector workers.

Secretary Laguesma maintained that achieving social justice requires coherent efforts from the national governments and their development and social partners.

Joined in 1948, the Philippines is also observing its 75th year of ILO membership.