Photo by UMA
The Coalition of Agricultural Workers International (CAWI) recently submitted a letter to the Philippine labor ministry to immediately allow the International Labor Organization (ILO) to conduct its High-Level Tripartite Mission (HLTM) to the Philippines to look into the serious violations of the ILO Convention 87.
It comes after newly appointed labor secretary Bienvenido Laguesma formally requested the ILO to postpone the HLTM to early next year instead of holding it this October.
“We find this concerning as moving the HLTM delays it by three and a half years. Meanwhile, Filipino trade union leaders and organizers continue to get killed, arbitrarily arrested, red-tagged, or disappeared. We are alarmed that the political environment seems to disregard the Filipino agricultural workers’ civil liberties, human rights, and trade union rights with impunity.” said Dr. P.P. Sivapragasam, CAWI secretary-general, in the letter.
Sivapragasam added that the ministry could maximize the Mission to enlighten legislators on the severe violations of the state to Convention 87. The HLTM can even serve as leverage to ask Congress for more resources for the Labor and Justice ministries, the Commission on Human Rights, and other related agencies for activities that address the violations of the convention, including labor inspection, investigation, and prosecution of those responsible and making them accountable without impunity.
“Furthermore, the HLTM would also inform and guide labor officials on the policy gaps and necessary programs to implement ILO C. 87 in the Philippines effectively in drafting their ‘Labor and Employment Plan'”. He said.
Filipino labor officials asked for the postponement of the Mission amid the reported killings, harassment, and red-tagging of agri-workers in the Philippines. CAWI member in the Philippines, Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) or Federation of Agricultural Workers Philippines, recorded that out of the 56 workers and labor leaders killed under the previous Duterte regime, 27 were agri-workers.
UMA and the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW), together with other labor groups in the country, have filed a complaint at the ILO for violations of Convention 87 by the Philippine government.
“We hope the labor ministry will be more proactive in addressing these concerns amid persistent allegations of human rights abuses. The Philippines has been on the list of the Ten Worst Countries for Workers to live in per the International Trade Union Conference (ITUC) Rights Index for the past six years. Allowing the HLTM to push through without further delays could help resolve these reported violations against Filipino agricultural workers.” Sivapragasam ended.
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