Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 28) — The International Labor Organization (ILO) commended President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s commitment to institute labor reforms while balancing economic needs and recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m very much impressed with President Marcos Jr.’s resolve in moving forward and balancing requirements from COVID, building resilience and at the same time making sure that the social dimension is also moving at the same pace as well as the climate, the environmental dimensions,” ILO Director General Gilbert Houngbo told CNN Philippines in a one-on-one interview.
Houngbo embarked on a four-day official visit to the Philippines, a first for an ILO chief in the last seven decades.
He met with Marcos, the Labor and Migrant Workers departments, as well as several labor, union, and employers’ groups.
Houngbo said he also spoke with the president about the suggestions and outcomes of the ILO’s high-level tripartite mission that visited the Philippines in January in an effort to help labor union leaders.
\”We have seen the determination of the government to ensure that we move ahead including the trade union and employers in addressing the issues that were identified and recommendations that were made,\” he noted.
The previous tripartite mission had said there was very little action on policy reform and legislation to make the Philippines compliant with laws and ILO practices.
\”There are two things, do we stand that we hope the Philippines will be more compliant? Yes, we do. I want to very clear about it, but is the Philippines the only exemption? No,\” the ILO chief said.
What is crucial now, he added, is that all stakeholders are willing to hold dialogues to address issues concerning workers and labor leaders.
\”The critical point in response to your question is social dialogue, bringing together government officials, trade unions and employers so that we could identify a way forward and consensus building that for me is crucial,\” Houngbo said.
