ILO chief urges dialogue among labor stakeholders

INTERNATIONAL Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo concluded his first official visit to the Philippines on Wednesday, during which he cited the need to strengthen social dialogue among the government, employers and workers.

At a conference with employers in Manila, he also urged them to invest more in education and skill programs, adding that work environments should be conducive to growth and productivity.

“In the fast-moving job market, life-long learning is now essential for workers and these skills allow workers to thrive,” Mr. Houngbo said. “Employers and businesses must maximize productivity because without this, they cannot create jobs and provide prosperity.”

Mr. Houngbo said it is crucial for employers to incorporate new technologies such as artificial intelligence to upgrade workers’ skills.

The ILO chief said the government and employers should start educating and training young people to build the foundation for the future workforce, and to address youth unemployment.

“It will be critical to invest in youth empowerment programs to equip young people with the tools they need to succeed to help build a better future for the country,” he said.

The ILO chief met with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Tuesday as the two agreed for the Philippines and ILO to continue to collaborate to address labor issues, Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma said at the same event.

“The government and its stakeholders will continue to work towards increasing employability and equal access to work opportunities,” he said, citing a plan that would be sent to the Cabinet for approval.

The plan includes providing worker skills, such as raising the quality of teachers and modernizing training institutions, he said. He added that his agency would consult labor stakeholders to seek improvements for the labor roadmap.

Mr. Laguesma earlier said his agency plans to narrow the gap between worker skills and employer needs this year through upskilling programs.

“Together with our tripartite partners, we will continue working towards decent work and improved quality of life for our workers,” he said. “We invite our partners from the employers’ sector, workers, and other stakeholders to help us implement our labor and employment plan.”

During his visit, Mr. Houngbo also held a dialogue with representatives of workers’ and employers’ organizations.

“This visit has provided an excellent opportunity to discuss a wide range of world of work issues faced by the Philippines,” he said in a separate statement. “The open and productive talks we have held leave me confident that the Philippines is on track towards a bright future.”

“However, I encourage greater social dialogue between representatives of government, employers and workers in order to make progress on outstanding issues as well as to make decent work and social justice a reality for all,” the ILO chief said.

He took part in celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of the Philippines joining the ILO and delivered the keynote address at a global seafarers’ summit.

Mr. Houngbo also met with the president of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), heads of agencies and members of the United Nations Country Team, and the UN resident coordinator.

While in Metro Manila, he also visited the Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) in Quezon City where he had a chance to interact with migrant Filipino workers and their families.  

“What I have seen and heard during this visit and from my discussions at the Department of Migrant Workers confirms the excellent work being carried out to support Filipino migrant workers and their families,” Mr. Houngbo said. “I sincerely hope that these best practices from the Philippines can be shared with other countries in this region and beyond.” — John Victor D. Ordonez