For Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino, participation of pro-labor groups in direct governance is an indication that a nation fully embraces freedom and democracy.
He mentioned this in agreement with Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma's point of view.
Laguesma said that the country's current labor force of about 51 million, of which 96 percent are employed, stands to benefit from the representation in Congress with their pro-labor advocacies.
Tolentino sees the labor sector's participation in government policy-making evolving to mainstream politics, from labor organizations inside enterprises to party-list organizations participating in elections.
“The participation of the labor sector in the government’s policy-making is evolving from the ranks of laborers affiliated with labor organizations to party-list organizations vying for seats in Congress,” Tolentino said.
The senator said that more than a dozen of the 156 party-list organizations the Commission on Elections (Comelec) accredited for the 2025 midterm elections advocate for labor sector causes.
Tolentino said the labor sector's participation in policy-making affecting the rights and welfare of laborers used to be confined to the unions they belonged to, but it had been elevated to actual involvement in drafting laws protecting their interests and welfare.
On the other hand, the labor chief noted that the present administration, through executive action, is initiating programs that support the labor force and enterprises in developing and coordinating job creation.
He added that since 95 percent of enterprises are micro, small, and medium enterprises, DOLE also supports the sector to generate more jobs.