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 9^th 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!