Metro Manila, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met with labor leaders in Malacanang on Tuesday to reinforce the administration’s dedication to protecting workers’ rights and improving labor conditions across the country.
“I met with our labor leaders to ensure that the rights and welfare of our workers remain safeguarded,” President Marcos said in a message shared via social media.
“The government remains committed to open and meaningful dialogue to achieve dignified employment, fair wages, and a hopeful future for every Filipino family,” he added.
Among those present were Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) President and House Deputy Speaker Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza, Associated Labor Unions (ALU) National President Michael Democrito Mendoza, and other key representatives from various labor organizations including the National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines, All Workers Alliance Trade Unions, and Pambansang Kilusan ng Paggawa.
The TUCP, the country’s largest labor organization, took the opportunity to raise urgent labor and employment issues affecting millions of Filipino workers. These include the urgent need to ensure living wages, protect the right to unionize, and promote secure and decent jobs.
“We thank the President for granting this crucial audience and listening to the voice of labor. We emphasized that protecting the right to freely form and join unions is not only a constitutional right and a key international labor standard, but also essential to unlocking economic growth and global trade opportunities,” said Mendoza.
TUCP is advocating three key legislative reforms, namely eliminating barriers to unionization; limiting the Labor Secretary’s discretionary powers only to industries providing essential services as defined by international labor standards; and removing harsh penalties such as dismissal or imprisonment for illegal strikes. They instead advocated for fairer measures respecting the fundamental labor right.
“The president’s words must be matched with legislative and executive measures. Workers deserve more than promises, they need laws that uplift their dignity, raise wages to livable levels, and ensure lasting and decent employment. A truly prosperous and just ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ cannot exist while workers remain stuck in cycles of precarious work and poverty,” the labor leader added.
