Reaffirming the commitment to uphold the welfare and well-being of Filipino workers, the Marcos administration submitted for Senate concurrence the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention addressing workplace violence and harassment.

Malacañang submitted for the Senate’s consideration and concurrence last month ILO Convention No. 190, or the Convention Concerning the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work, adopted by the ILO Convention General Conference in Geneva, Switzerland in June 2019.

The ILO Convention 190 (ILO C190), which came into force on June 25, 2021, applies to all sectors, whether public or private, in urban and rural areas, both in the formal and informal economy, and provides a common framework to address violence and harassment, including gender-based violence, in the world of work.

“The ratification of the ILO C190 will fortify the Philippine government’s mandate and policy in promoting and protecting the rights of Filipino workers, locally and overseas, by pushing for a work environment with zero tolerance for violence and harassment,” President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said in his October 13-letter to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and other senators.

“In this regard, the country’s commitments relative to the ILO C190 contributes to the performance of key targets under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly with respect to Goal 5 on Gender Equality and Goal 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth.”

According to the President, after examining the convention’s text, he found it advisable for the Senate to ratify the ILO Convention 190.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Civil Service Commission (CSC), Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), and the Presidential Human Rights Committee Secretariat have also concurred with the proposed ratification. PND