PHILIPPINES Seminar On Improving The Organisation s Labour Management System To Strengthen Trade Cooperation Among ASEAN Community 4-6 July 2012 Bangkok, Thailand Undersecretary Rebecca C. Chato Mr. Alvin R. Gonzales Ms. Margarita Amaris N. Javillonar
Introduction POPULATION (2010) 93.34 million Filipinos growing at an annual rate of 1.90% from 2000-2010. LABOR FORCE (2010) 60.72 million household population 15 years and over. About 38.90 million of these were in the labor force. Of those belonging to the labor force, 36.03 million are LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATIO N RATE (2012) EMPLOYMENT RATE (2012) 64.1% 92.7%
Employers In the Philippines, there are industry associations, chambers of commerce and the voice of employers. ECOP has regular members consisting of 44 industry associations, business organizations, professional organizations, chambers of commerce and industry. ECOP enlists among its members more than 500 individual corporations in the country, ranging from micro, small, medium to large establishments.
Labor Primarily, workers voice in the Philippines are heard through the unions. The total registration for labor organizations as of 2011 was around 43, 306 with reported total membership of about 2,842,812 individuals. The total figure is composed of 1,694 public employees associations with 398,793 members; some 16, 842 unions with 1,372,708 members; and about 25,129 worker associations with about 1,071,311 members.
National Policy and Strategies Shared responsibility, tripartism and bipartism Labor relations in the Philippines is governed by the principles enshrined in Article XIII of the Philippine Constitution. The principles espouse shared responsibility between workers and employers; the preferential use of voluntary modes of settling disputes and the recognition of the right of labor to its share in the fruits of production and the right of the enterprises to reasonable returns to investments and to expansion and growth.
National Policy and Strategies Reforms under the Labor and Employment Plan 2011 2016 (LEP) Reform areas have already been rolled out to basically make workers and employers transactions with the DOLE more simple and less costly. The reforms are an answer for the call to make labor relations less litigious, bare of legal impediments and de-judicialized. Following are some of those reforms instituted.
National Policy and Strategies Single Entry Approach (SENA) - 30-day mandatory conciliation-mediation services for all labor and employment cases. Industry Tripartite Councils and Voluntary Codes of Good Industry Practices Project Speedy and Efficient Disposition (SpeED) of Labor Cases
National Policy and Strategies National and Agency-Level Tripartite Efficiency and Integrity Boards Labor Code Review Policy and Legislative Reforms to further Strengthen Trade Unionism as well as to Balance Employment Interests Enhanced Labor Education Program for Workers and Employers
Major Achievements in process and outcomes in recent years 1. Process Approach: Reconstitution of the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (NTIPC). The NTIPC was reconstituted with the issuance of appointment papers labor and employer sectors by the President of the Republic of the Philippines in 2011. This is consistent with the aim of creating an environment for more inclusive tripartism and social dialogue.
Process Thus, making the membership in the TIPC a healthy mix of enduring and new organizations for the labor sector: Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) Alliance of Filipino Workers (AFW) Federation of Free Workers (FFW) National Confederation of Labor (NCL) Trade Unions of the Philippines and Allied Services (TUPAS) Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), among others.
Process For the Employer Sector, members come from : The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) and its member-organizations, such as Philippine Exporters Inc. (PHILEXPORT), Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) American Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII), among others
Outcomes 2. Outcomes: Resolutions, Department Orders, Actions In 2011, the TIPC was able to issue 9 resolutions. Resolutions that impact on policy include: TIPC Resolution No. 8, Reaffirming the Proposed Denunciation of ILO Convention No. 89 where the TIPC recommended the formal denunciation of ILO Convention No. 89 and to start the process of ratification in preparation for ratifying ILO Convention No. 171, a revised Convention of Night Work to promote equal opportunity for women to access employment and career opportunities.
Outcomes Resolutions and Department Orders: TIPC Resolution No. 9, Recommending the Ratification of ILO Convention No. 189, on Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 Department Order No. 109-11, on the creation of Efficiency and Integrity Boards in the Department of Labor and Employment.
Outcomes Department Order No. 111-11, Guidelines in the Creation and Institutionalization of Coordination of National Industry Councils, Regional Tripartite Industrial Peace Councils and Regional or Local Industry Tripartite Councils. Department Order No. 112-11, Guidelines Governing the Implementation of the Special Leave Benefits for Women Employees in the Private Sector Department Order No. 115-11, Guidelines on the Implementation of the Incentivizing Compliance Program (ICP)
Problems and Obstacles Reforms in the areas of industrial, labor and employment policy. Partners wanting to Change the Labor Code Lack of inspection or compliance officers that would ensure that establishments, big and small, make workplaces decent for its workers while viable for investors.
Suggestions / Actions for Resolution The Department of Labor and Employment is providing incentives for establishments that comply with standards and we are promoting policies toward the self-disciplining of industries. The Department of Labor and Employment continues to make reforms in the areas of industrial, labor and employment policy.
Suggestions / Actions for Resolution Future impediments and long-term solutions are still to be developed. Through continued collaboration with partners across the region, it is hoped that concrete solutions and the subsequent steps would be realized to make us become an active member in a vibrant ASEAN community.
THANK YOU!