Philippines leads Asia in protecting workers from violence, ratifies ILO Convention 190

In a historic  move towards protecting Filipino workers from violence and harassment in workplaces, the Philippine Senate ratified the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 190 on 11 December. This makes the Philippines the first Asian country to affirm the convention. This also underscored the active involvement of trade unions, government agencies, and international organisations in a collaborative effort to prioritise workplace safety and address issues of violence and harassment.

Unanimously, senators voted 20-0-0 in favor of the Philippine concurrence of ILO Convention 190, which enjoins ILO member-states to develop, in line with their national laws, an "inclusive, integrated, and gender-responsive approach" to prevent and eliminate violence and harassment in the workplace. The Senate’s concurrence to the measure was sponsored by Senator Imee Marcos, Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. It was co-sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva and Senators Pia Cayetano, Risa Hontiveros, and Jinggoy Estrada, showcasing bipartisan support for this crucial initiative.

The historic decision came after a comprehensive committee hearing led by Marcos on 28 November. The public hearing saw active participation from stakeholders representing various trade unions, as well as key government agencies such as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE), and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). Affiliates of the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), including the National Union of Building and Construction Workers (NUBCW), Allied Labour Unions (ALU), Federation of Free Workers (FFW), the Philippine Trade and General Workers Organization (PTGWO), and unions from the EEI corporation, greatly contributed to the discussion by providing the necessary campaign and lobbying strategy and framework both in the Office of the President and the Senate.

The ratification process began when Philippine President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. approved the Convention on 13 October. The transmission of the approval to the Senate President for concurrence took place on 17 October, with the formal inclusion in the Senate reference of business occurring on 6 November. The subsequent Committee Hearing in November paved the way for the recent approval of the Committee Report and the Senate’s concurrence.

Recognising the global significance of ILO Convention 190, BWI joined hands with fellow global unions and federations, such as Public Services International (PSI), Industrial, UNI, and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), in a coordinated lobbying and campaign effort that resulted in the historic development. The strategy outlined by these organizations was two-fold: secure a presidential nod and lobby the Senate to achieve the necessary 2/3 majority vote for concurrence.

The Senate’s concurrence marks a historic step forward in addressing workplace violence and harassment. Philippine trade unions are now preparing to craft and push for an implementing law to make the convention a living reality in workplaces in the Philippines. #