Updated on February 24 // 12:03 AM
The Philippines became the first Asian nation to ratify the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Convention No. 190 aimed at curbing violence and harassment in workplaces, the ILO said on Friday.
The Philippines is the 38th country in the world to adopt the convention, the ILO also said.
According to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Ernesto Bitonio, this convention “breaks new ground in its scope and ambition, transcending boundaries and embracing a world where work, family, and social lives are increasingly intertwined.”
“[It] ultimately calls upon us to agree on a baseline of acceptable behavior that respects every worker equally as a human being, who has full freedom to choose and pursue the things that society values whatever [their] status, capabilities and sector are,” he said in a ceremony held at the ILO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
Adopted in 2019, Convention No. 190 establishes the first comprehensive international standard addressing workplace violence and harassment. It sets a clear definition of these issues and outlines a framework for action. This includes preventing, protecting, and responding to incidents, as well as providing remedies, guidance, training, and awareness-raising initiatives.
It offers protection to all individuals in the workforce, including interns, apprentices, and those with employer duties or authority.
This is also extended across various sectors, including public and private, formal and informal economies, and urban and rural areas, ensuring that everyone in the workforce has the right to a safe and respectful environment.
“This ratification marks an important step to preventing and eliminating violence and harassment in the world of work. It is time to make workplaces free from violence and harassment a reality everywhere, promoting and realizing social justice for all,” ILO Deputy Director-General Celeste Drake said in welcoming the Philippines’ ratification.