CHR, DoLE ink labor rights deal

THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) on Friday signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) to foster collaboration for the promotion and protection of workers' rights.

The MoA was based on the recommendation to enhance coordination among relevant government agencies on the promotion and protection of labor rights, which was raised during last January's high-level tripartite meeting organized by the International Labor Organization (ILO).

«This MoA is a testament of our profound commitment to the core values we hold dear — the principles of freedom, dignity and respect for human rights,» CHR Chairman Atty. Richard Palpal-latoc said.

In addition, the agreement seeks to improve the conduct of investigations, referral of cases, provision of free legal advice, training and promotional activities, and policy development, particularly on the rights of workers, between the two agencies.

Palpal-latoc said the partnership focuses on the promotion of Freedom of Association and the Right to Organize, which are the fundamental rights crucial to ensuring that the workers are treated with dignity, empowered economically, and are allowed to develop themselves to be in their best versions in the workplace.

CHR's chief also said that the partnership has identified key commitments in line with human rights work, among which is the establishment of a platform that will bring together main stakeholders to integrate human rights norms, standards and principles into its policies and programs.

With the limited budget that the CHR has, DoLE Secretary Bienvinido Laguesma said that DoLE's role in the partnership is to address the deficiency in the budget allocation, which is under the resolution passed by the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council.

«That is where the two agencies compliment. We recognize that the conventions I have mentioned not only set labor standards but also champion broader human rights values such as dignity, justice and equality. It becomes evident therefore that the mandates of DoLE and the CHR converge», Laguesma said.