Action Programme for Decent Work: Philippines(PDF File 441KB)

In the Philippines, the Decent Work agenda has been widely used to express employment aspirations and policy goals. At the Employment Summit held in March 2001, the President of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo referred to Decent Work and placed employment at the top of her development agenda. Thus, the Philippine Medium Term Philippine Development Plan 2001-2004 includes a separate chapter on “Promoting Full, Decent and Productive Employment.”

Both trade unions and the Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines have used the Decent Work agenda as part of their advocacy and services to members. In support of the efforts of constituents to address Decent Work deficits, the Philippines’ National Action Plan for Decent Work was launched in May 2002. Developed through extensive social dialogue with constituents, the Plan describes the overall framework in which ILO assistance will be provided. The Action Plan underwent its first major revision through the high-level Tripartite Advisory Committee meeting in April 2002.

Activities under the Action Plan combine sector and integrated responses. The sector responses encompass ILO commitments in support of the initiatives of national constituents to reduce Decent Work deficits under each of the ILO’s four strategic objectives of the Decent Work agenda. The integrated responses support national efforts in addressing priority concerns through developing more comprehensive and integrated approaches.

Assisting constituents to embark on a more systematic and better structured review of its commitments under the ILO Conventions; improving labour inspection, and the progressive elimination of child labour are considered as key issues under the Philippines’ Action Plan.

The Action Plan’s main objectives in respect to employment promotion are to support the Philippines to develop and implement integrated employment policies and strategies and, at the same time, to promote decent employment and poverty reduction programmes. The major challenges faced in this area include, among others, high levels of unemployment and underemployment, global competition and a growing informal sector.

• Support to the government and social partners in formulating a comprehensive employment policy strategy
• Documentation and dissemination of best practices in productivity improvement and programmes
• Identification of constraints to entrepreneurship and business growth particularly amongst SMEs
• Advocacy measures to reduce such constraints
• Supporting the establishment of Philippine Youth Business Foundation
• Review of the national training policy
• Implementing competency-based training reforms

The Action Plan adopts a broad view of social protection, to address the limited social protection coverage of the population; low benefits; limited application and compliance to OSH standards; and to deal with the problem of HIV/AIDS and drug-use in the workplace. In this regard, initiatives being implemented include a project on extending micro-health insurance for women in the informal economy and technical training in the design of a National SafeWork programme and training on the ILO Codes of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work.

To enhance social dialogue and Tripartism the Action Plan seeks to strengthen the roles, capacities and responsibilities of governments, employers and workers in policy-making. The initiatives outlined technical support to employers’ and workers’ organizations in advocating the concerns of their members and those they more broadly represent; and providing direct support services to their members and others, including women, small enterprise of tripartite institutions, dispute settlement procedures, and labour administration and employment services.

A number of key activities has been implemented by and participated in by the tripartite partners indicating a more strengthened tripartite process and social dialogue. These were in the areas of child labour, globalization, enterprise development, migrant workers, informal sector, gender and social protection. In the area of labour administration, a pilot project will be implemented covering the expansion of the coverage of the DOLE’s labour education programme to involve employers and human practitioners in small and medium enterprises to raise awareness about management prerogatives and responsibilities. The DOLE is producing and disseminating the revised dispute settlement system and compendium of procedures that would enhance the consciousness of both labour and management of their rights.

Further, there have been significant contributions of the tripartite partners on enhancing and improving the Decent Work National Plan of Action through their participation in the Decent Work Agenda National Tripartite Advisory Committee.

• Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)
• Employers' Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP)
• Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP)
• Federation of Free Workers (FFW)
• National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)
• Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
• Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI)
• PhilExport
• Alliance of Progressive Labor
• International Labour Organization (ILO)

• Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)
• Employers' Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP)
• Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP)
• Federation of Free Workers (FFW)

• DOLE Institute for Labor Affairs Services (ILAS-DOLE)