Villanueva presses Senate to concur with ILO covenant to protect OFWs
FILE PHOTO: Passengers, mostly Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) queue at the departure area of Ninoy Aquino International Airport amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines, June 1, 2021. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez
MANILA, Philippines — Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva on Thursday vowed to push for the Senate’s concurrence to the ratification of an international labor convention aimed at ending violence and harassment at work especially for the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
The International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention No. 190 seeks to create a framework recognizing the right of every employee to a world free from violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment.
“The Philippines’ ratification and concurrence are well past their due. I am hoping for the full support of my colleagues when we tackle this Convention in the plenary,” Villanueva said in a statement.
It can be recalled that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier asked the upper chamber to adopt ILO No. 190.
Marcos, after examining the convention’s text, said he found it advisable for the Senate to ratify the measure.
“We thank President Bongbong Marcos for heeding our call to ratify this very important ILO Convention which will provide us a critical avenue to raise the concerns of our Overseas Filipino Workers. We don’t want a repeat of what happened to Jullebee Ranara and the numerous cases of abuse,” said Villanueva.
The senator said Marcos’ appeal was a “positive response” to Senate Resolution No. 456, which calls on the executive department to immediately ratify the convention.
Villanueva filed the resolution in February 2023.
