The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) welcomed on Wednesday, Dec. 13, the Senate’s ratification of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 190, saying this would be a significant step towards ending violence and harassment in the workplace for all workers both in the public and private sectors, regardless of their employment location.
The ILO 190, or the Convention Concerning the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work, took effect on June 25, 2021, and has been ratified by 36 countries so far.
The Senate voted unanimously 20-0, approving on third and final reading Resolution No. 877 concurring in the ratification of ILO C190 on Monday, Dec. 11.
DMW Officer-in-Charge Atty. Hans Leo J. Cacdac said ILO C190 aligns with existing Philippine laws that safeguard labor and worker rights, including the Labor Code of the Philippines, the Migrant Workers' Act, the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act, the Anti-Women Discrimination Act, the Magna Carta of Women, and other social legislations.
These laws, according to him, outline labor standards, define workers' rights and benefits, and provide mechanisms to protect and enforce worker rights, particularly against workplace harassment and violence.
“This ratification underscores the Philippines' unwavering commitment to promoting safe and decent work for all Filipinos, upholding the constitutional guarantees of labor rights as enshrined in Section 3 of Article XIII of the Constitution,” Cacdac noted.
“For overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who often face vulnerability to exploitation, discrimination, and abuse while working abroad, ILO C190 holds particular significance,” he added.
As a leading nation in labor export, Cacdac said the Philippines can leverage ILO C190 to provide OFWs with enhanced protection, respecting the dignity of their work.
“Ratification of ILO C190 strengthens and reaffirms the Philippines' commitment to existing domestic labor laws,” Cacdac said.