(MANILA BULLETIN)

Trabaho Party-list said it finds "disturbing" how workers in the Philippines "suffer in silence" amid various labor rights violations.

This, after the party-list expressed deep concern over the findings of a recent report revealing 83 labor rights violations across the Philippines.

“The number of violations is alarming, but what’s more disturbing is that many workers continue to suffer in silence. We cannot let this continue. Trabaho Party-list is committed to leading efforts in Congress to strengthen labor protections and ensure accountability,” party-list spokesman lawyer Mitchell-David Espiritu said.

A report from the Federation of Free Workers (FFW) and the Danish Trade Union Development Agency (DTDA) detailed a wide range of violations, including illegal dismissals, wage theft, harassment of union organizers, and suppression of collective bargaining efforts. 

The data reflects persistent systemic issues affecting both formal and informal workers nationwide.

With this,Trabaho Party-list has pledged to work proactively with government agencies, labor groups, and private stakeholders to ensure better protection and enforcement of workers' rights.

The group outlined plans that include working closely with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to review and enhance monitoring mechanisms and improve response times for reported violations, and convening summits with representatives from workers' unions, employers, NGOs, and human rights groups to formulate policy recommendations and collective strategies.

Espiritu also emphasized plans on introducing legislation aimed at tightening regulations against contractualization, improving union recognition procedures, and increasing penalties for violations, including establishing a worker feedback platform to allow easier reporting of abuses, particularly for those in remote or underrepresented communities.

“This is not just a labor issue, it’s a human rights issue. We want workers to know that they are not alone. Through active engagement with all sectors, we aim to create a culture where labor rights are respected, not violated," Espiritu said.