MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) on Wednesday sought support from Thailand to back the Philippines’ labor initiatives at the 29th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Labour Ministers’ Meeting (ALMM) and related meetings.
At the bilateral meeting with Thai Minister of Labour H.E. Julapun Amornvivat, Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino discussed the country’s priorities in the labor sector, such as “labor market and social resilience; fair, ethical, and sustainable recruitment; labor inspection in the fishing sector; and occupational safety and health in the informal economy.”
Thailand currently holds the chairship of the ALMM, the Senior Labor Officials Meeting (SLOM), and the SLOM Working Group.
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Tolentino asked for Thailand’s endorsement in pushing for the country’s key deliverables “to advance practical, worker-centered policies” within Southeast Asia.
The two labor ministers also tabled the ratification of International Labour Organization Convention No. 193 on decent work in the platform economy, which the Dole described as an emerging priority, primarily amid the increasing number of ride-hailing and digital workers in the country.
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Tolentino and Minister Amornvivat, moreover, eyed a possible partnership on developing aquaculture, or aquatic farming, and establishing a workers’ rehabilitation center.
“The meeting also strengthened cooperation between the two countries on skills development, with the Philippines expressing support for Thailand’s priority for an Asean Center of Excellence for skills certification,” Dole said in a statement. /mcm