30 April 2024, Manila, Philippines – A Holy Mass was offered by the Simbahan at Komunidad Laban (SIKLAB) sa ChaCha (Charter Change), with the overarching theme “Dagdag Sahod Isabatas! 150 Pataas! ChaCha Iatras!”. The Catholic Mass was held at the Quiapo Church in Manila a day before the 2024 May 1 Labor Day Celebration.
Philippine Senator Risa Hontiveros joined the various workers’ organizations and public sector unions who attended the mass presided by Bishop Jose Colin M. Bagaforo, D.D. and led the photo ops for the media outside the church immediately after the mass.
Public Services International (PSI) continuously support workers’ issues and trade union rights including the implementation and promotion of the workers’ right to just compensation and living wage.
26 April 2024, B Hotel, Quezon City, Philippines. – Public Services International (PSI) Philippine affiliates Alliance of Filipino Workers (AFW) and Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK), actively participated in the consultation on decent work on care economy aimed at developing a common workers’ position and arguments for the International Labor Conference (ILC) discussion on care.
PSI is the leading global union federation which promote and protect health and care workers around the world. Both affiliates AFW and PSLINK robustly referred to the PSI Care Manifesto and the 5 Rs framework in identifying and analyzing issues and challenges as well as corresponding options and solutions. They highlighted the human rights to care, focus on wide range of care work, the pittance pay, and prevalence of unpaid care work performed by Barangay Health Workers, Barangay Nutrition Scholars, and Day Care Workers in the case of the Philippines.
PSLINK is part of the writing group tasked to consolidate and write the report.
Puerto Princesa, Philippines- Around 250 union leaders and members of the Philippine Independent Public Sector Employees Association (PIPSEA) gathered at the Citystate Asturias Hotel, Puerto Princesa, Palawan, on April 12-14, 2024, during the 9th PIPSEA National Executive Board Meeting and other related activities.
Part of the program is a separate session on the PSI Campaigns and the Road to ILO C190 ratification. Local affiliates of PIPSEA, celebrated the successful ILO C190 ratification and manifested their overwhelming commitment to continue to support all the ongoing PSI campaigns in the Philippines and in the region. Ian Mariano, PSI Sub regional Secretary for Southeast Asia presented the PSI Campaigns, Road to ILO C190 Ratification in the Philippines, including strategies and ways forward.
The federation members also had a session on Gender Responsive Quality Public Services with Director Vizur Ty Gaitano of the Civil Service Commission (Region 6) as the esteemed resource speaker.
The program also included the consolidation and building power of the federation along with other public sector organizations to strengthen and position the public sector unions in terms of representation and collective actions. PSI Vice President Annie Enriquez Geron was invited as guest speaker on the topic “Building Union Power”.
One of the highlights of the meeting is the official affiliation of 11 new local affiliates from Visayas and Mindanao. PIPSEA `committed to continue their aggressive organizing efforts including the organizing of the Barangay Health Workers. The meeting also invited new potential affiliates to PIPSEA from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Another highlight is the adoption of a Resolution expressing the solidarity of PIPSEA to the Finnish Trade Unions SAK and STTK on their struggle against the labour market and welfare reforms in Finland. The National Executive Board of PIPSEA unanimously adopted the resolution authored by Ms. Airis Penetrante, President of the Association of Iloilo Province Government Employees (AIPGE- PIPSEA) (Video of Miss Airis Penetrante). The National Executive Board manifested to co-sponsor the resolution.
Officers and members of PIPSEA expressed strong support to SAK and STTK and to all trade unions and workers in Finland thru the photo collage taken during the event expressing SOLIDARITY!
The Alliance of Filipino Workers (AFW) has intensified its organizing work with the support from PSI. On February 10, 2024, AFW President Rene Capito, Vice President Ferdinand Gan and Women Organizer Jane Labongray met the officers and members of Samahan ng mga Manggagawa sa NICC Doctors Hospital (SMNDH) in Naga City, a province of Camarines Sur in the Bicol Region, south of Luzon, Philippines.
During this first meeting, the AFW officers discussed how the union can be affiliated with the AFW, as AFW clarified its unwavering support on the labor struggles of health workers to improve their benefits and welfare, as well as fight for their rights and the many issues affecting them.
On their part, the SMNDH assured the AFW that they will eventually affiliate with them and join the federation of the biggest private health care workers’ organization (AFW) in the future.
An initial orientation on basic trade unionism was conducted on March 2, 2024, to increase awareness and basic understanding of unionism amongst the officers and members of SMNDH. A follow-up capacity building and awareness raising will be conducted on April 22, 2024, to a targeted bigger number of SMNDH union members.
AFW will issue a charter certificate to the SMNDH for the purpose of indicating the establishment of the local chapter and also for the purpose of certification election.
The campaign of PSI affiliates in the Philippines to ratify ILO Convention 190 or the Convention on Violence and Harassment in the World of Work took a positive and conclusive turn as Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed and ratified ILO Convention 190 which was received at the Senate on Nov. 6, 2023.
SI Philippines affiliates together with other global union federations are pleased with this development which shows the commitment of the current administration to take steps to protect workers from violence and harassment at work. Since 2019, Philippine unions have been campaigning for its ratification. Most recently, a joint press conference was held on Sept. 27, 2023, urging President Marcos Jr. to ratify ILO C. 190.
The Philippine Senate has the power to concur any international treaty or law that the President signs. A two-thirds (2/3) positive vote of all Senators is needed to confirm the concurrence. Once concurred, the Philippines shall be the first country in Asia and the 37th country in the world to ratify ILO C. 190.
ILO Convention 190 protects the workers, regardless of their employment status, from violence and harassment including gender-based discrimination in the workplace. It ensures that awareness-raising campaigns against violence and harassment are in place. The Convention also provides a framework for companies to create work environments that are free from violence and harassment, grounded on the principles of dignity and respect. ILO C 190 resonates with the administration’s provision of protection for all workers regardless of gender, age, sex, race, beliefs, and abilities, who are free from violence and harassment in whatever form to achieve a safe space. Once the ratification is concurred, existing and future Philippine national laws and policies must be aligned with the true meaning and spirit of the international instrument.
PSI Southeast Asia Projects 