Marcos signs EO boosting union rights as ILO warns of surge in informal jobs

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has signed Executive Order (EO) No. 97, strengthening protections for workers’ rights to unionize and assemble, as the Philippines faces closer scrutiny from the International Labour Organization (ILO) for persistent violations of labor rights.

- By Chloe Mari A. Hufana Reporter

The measure, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin on Sept. 19, adopts omnibus guidelines on freedom of association and civil liberties.

It directs agencies such as the Labor, Justice and Defense departments, as well as the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, to align policies and training with international labor standards.

The Department of Labor and Employment will oversee compliance through the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council.

The EO follows years of pressure from the ILO, which in 2023 deployed a high-level mission to Manila after reports of violence, red-tagging and harassment of union leaders. That mission recommended stronger safeguards, faster investigation of attacks against labor activists and the creation of systematic monitoring mechanisms.

The ILO on Monday launched a training module on freedom of association to help bridge gaps between principle and practice in the right to organize.