Philippines ‘unjustly vilified’ in new global workers’ rights report — Bello
MANILA, Philippines — Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Friday disputed the results of the International Trade Union Confederation’s Global Rights Index 2019 that tagged the Philippines as among the top 10 worst countries in the world for working people, arguing that the Duterte administration is protecting workers.
In a statement, Bello said the Philippines was “unjustly vilified” in ITUC’s report.
“It is unfortunate that ITUC failed to see the consistent efforts of the government in protecting the welfare of the Filipino workers. To say that the country has drastically regressed in protecting the worker’s rights is a drastically one-sided finding,” Bello said.
“The [Department of Labor and Employment] is not sleeping on its job and responsibility to protect the workers, in the same way that we are mandated to encourage businesses to investing more,” he added.
“We remain committed in providing essence to our mandate despite these unwarranted accusations that undermine the genuine efforts of the administration,” he continued.
According to ITUC, 10 trade unionists were murdered in the Philippines in 2018, putting the Southeast Asian nation in the list of countries that are dangerous for labor leaders together with Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Zimbabwe.
"Workers and trade unionists in the Philippines faced violent attacks and intimidation. Protests were brutally repressed by police forces in an attempt by government forces to suppress political dissent,” ITUC said.
“With martial law in Mindanao extended for the third time until the end of 2019, the threat of an escalation of violence and abuses grows,” it added. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral
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