PH Pushes for Protection of Migrant Workers in Global Labor Meeting

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Ciriaco Lagunzad (center) headed the Philippine delegation to the International Labor Conference in Geneva, Switzerland on June 08, 2017.

15 June 2017 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND — As the International Labor Conference (ILC) enters its second week in Geneva, the Philippines reiterated its call for the global community to strengthen the protection and promotion of the rights and welfare of migrant workers, regardless of their gender or status, and to provide them extraordinary protection in crisis situations.

“Member-states have a moral obligation to ensure that migrant workers have access to safe and decent work, wherever they are and in whatever situation they face,” said Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Ciriaco Lagunzad in a statement delivered on June 08 during the Committee on Labor Migration, one of the major committees of the ILC.

Undersecretary Lagunzad is heading the Philippine Delegation to the ILC, an annual meeting of the International Labour Organization that involves governments, employers and employees in a tripartite arrangement unique to the UN system.

“Labor standards should apply to workers in all aspects of the migration cycle,” he added, emphasizing that tripartite participation was necessary in the design and implementation of migration policies and programs.

The Philippines also highlighted its achievements in the discussions of the Committee on the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, which dealt with issues such as freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining; the elimination of forced labor; the abolition of child labor; and the elimination of discrimination in employment and occupation.

DOLE Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod updated the Committee on the country’s Eight-Point Labor and Employment Agenda, which the current administration adopted to pursue inclusive development and labor justice. The Agenda, which is in line with the priorities of Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to protect and promote the rights and welfare of Filipinos both in the country and overseas, includes measures to address unemployment, enhance national programs on workers’ protection and welfare, and strengthen labor dispute resolution, among others.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Evan P. Garcia, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the UN and Other International Organizations in Geneva, noted the critical role of the labor sector in enriching ongoing talks for a Global Compact on Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration.

“The intrinsic link between labor and migration provides a compelling foundation for elaborating on an international framework that will ensure the safety, dignity, and human rights of migrants. Towards this end, the Philippines will continue to play an active role in any effort that will elevate the discourse beyond populist narratives and ultimately benefit migrants and their families,” he said.

For more information, visit www.genevapm.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/genevapcg. END