Marcos issues EO ensuring workers' freedom to form, join unions

President Marcos has issued an executive order that aims to ensure that workers can freely form unions, join associations, and exercise their rights without fear.

- BY BETHEENA UNITE

Marcos signed EO No. 97 which adopted the Omnibus Guidelines on the Exercise of Freedom of Association and Civil Liberties, laying down clear rules for government agencies to protect these rights and ensure that rallies and union activities remain peaceful and lawful.

Under the EO, government agencies were directed to safeguard workers' rights to unionize, organize, and engage in peaceful concerted activities in line with the Constitution and international labor standards.

The measure reinforces constitutional guarantees protecting workers' right to self-organization, collective bargaining, and peaceful assembly, addressing concerns raised by the International Labour Organization (ILO) which had called on the Philippine government to act on reported laborers' concerns.