Labor inspectors, government, and social partners gathered for the 2025 Labor Inspection Summit, an initiative of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to strengthen the protection of Filipino workers through fair, consistent, and accountable labor inspections.
Held at SMX Clark and online through the Bureau of Working Conditions (BWC), the two-day summit gathered over a thousand participants to strengthen labor inspection systems that uphold fair pay, safe workplaces, and respect for workers’ rights and welfare.
Discussions throughout the summit focused on strengthening governance, accountability, and competence in labor inspection. Sessions highlighted ways to build public trust through integrity and transparency, enhance inspectors’ skills, and streamline internal procedures.
Participants also explored better use of tools such as the Labor Inspection Management Information System and the Legal Defense Fund. They tackled fair wage compliance, evidence-gathering in workplace investigations, and measures to help employers meet labor standards.
Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma, in his keynote address, urged continued collaboration with DOLE’s partners following the official entry into force of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 81 in the Philippines on November 5, 2025, which sets the global standard for labor inspection systems.
The Labor Chief also emphasized the need to address emerging challenges in digital and platform-based work, complex supply chains, and informal labor arrangements that often fall outside traditional inspection coverage.
As a result of the summit, DOLE and its partners will intensify reforms aligned with the Marcos administration’s push for decent work and social justice.
These include taking steps to strengthen labor inspection by enhancing training, adopting a risk-based approach, fully utilizing the Labor Inspection Management Information System, developing sector-specific checklists, and closer coordination with tripartite partners.
The summit also featured testimonials from workers who shared how labor inspections helped them recover unpaid wages, improve workplace safety, and ensure their employers complied with labor standards. Employers likewise expressed how the inspections guided them in aligning their workplace policies and practices with DOLE standards to ensure safety and prevent accidents.
Also marking the event are the signing of a pledge of commitment to the implementation of Convention No. 81, to which the Philippines is the 151st signatory.
