President Marcos’ endorsement for the Senate to ratify an International Labor Organization (ILO) convention seeking to end violence and harassment in the workplace would go a long way toward ensuring workers’ safety and welfare, a lawmaker said yesterday.
The ILO C190 or the Convention Concerning the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work was adopted by the ILO Convention General Conference in Geneva, Switzerland in 2019, and then came into force in 2021.
“The President’s endorsement of ILO Convention 190 (C190) shows his commitment in creating a better working environment,” said Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles, chairman of the House committee on labor and Employment of the House of Representatives.
In his letter to the Senate, Marcos said the ratification of 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.”
Nograles said he was optimistic the Senate would ratify the convention, noting it would be “a victory for the various stakeholders that have fought for better and safer conditions for Filipino workers.”
“Our ratification would be a contract with the people. This is a brave step by the government because it implies that we are willing to be judged based on what we accomplish in relation to this convention,” he said.
The convention adopts an inclusive, integrated and gender-responsive approach in protecting workers in all sectors — in the formal and informal economy and in urban or rural areas.
ILO C190 is the first-ever international treaty on violence and harassment in the world of work.