The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Friday welcomed the recent joint position from the Leaders Forum, a bipartite body of labor and employer groups, urging for a significant increase in its budget to ensure that it has adequate resources for addressing labor-related human rights violations.
“The Commission stands resolutely alongside the Filipino labor force in advocating for their rights, welfare and dignity in the workplace. We remain committed to our stance that every worker deserves equitable treatment, just compensation, and safe working conditions,” it said.
The Leaders Forum, composed of organizations, such as the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Philippine Exporters Confederation representing employers, along with the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, Federation of Free Workers, and Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa representing workers, has taken a commendable step in advocating for a more robust CHR.
“This collective call from both sides of the labor sector reflects the pressing need to fortify the Commission’s capacity to protect and uphold the rights of all workers in the country,” the Commission cited.
The CHR and the Department of Labor and Employment signed a memorandum of agreement and a data sharing agreement aimed at enhancing cooperation in promoting and protecting the rights of Filipino workers.
The collaboration, aligned with the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) recommendation for stronger interagency cooperation, seeks to improve the speed and effectiveness of investigations into violations of workers’ freedom of association and right to organize, strengthen case build-up and evidence gathering, and provide financial assistance for labor rights violations.
The partnership also supports the implementation of Executive Order No. 23, which mandates the protection of workers’ rights, ensuring the Philippines’ compliance with ILO and other human rights conventions.
“The Commission continues to stand for the rights of all, but most especially for the plight of the weak, vulnerable, and marginalized—and this includes every Filipino laborer in the country,” the CHR said.
