DOLE, NAPC expand partnership to strengthen workers’ rights and social protection

The Philippines’ Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) have strengthened their partnership to expand access to government programmes and advance workers’ rights and social protection.

DOLE Secretary Francis N. Tolentino, NAPC Secretary Lope B. Santos III and NAPC-Formal Labor and Migrant Workers Sectoral Council (FLMWSC) Sectoral Representative Danilo A. Laserna signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on July 29 at the DOLE Central Office in Manila.

The agreement marks the third partnership between DOLE and NAPC supporting the NAPC-FLMWSC. It will enable the council to continue accessing training grants under the Bureau of Labor Relations’ Workers’ Organization Development Program (WODP) Plus.

“We are here not only to clarify an agreement, but also to create space to listen to various sectors, advance the right advocacies, and participate in the broader work of the NAPC,” Tolentino said.

The renewed partnership is expected to improve workers’ access to a wider range of DOLE programmes, including scholarship grants, youth employability initiatives, livelihood programmes and employment opportunities.

The agreement also comes alongside a dialogue between Tolentino and representatives of the NAPC-FLMWSC, where participants discussed key issues affecting formal and migrant workers.

The discussions covered workers’ participation in national labour policy mechanisms, labour-management cooperation, occupational safety and health, and other concerns affecting the sector.

The dialogue also provided an opportunity for workers’ representatives to put forward policy recommendations and work with DOLE on developing labour programmes that respond to workers’ evolving needs.

DOLE said the collaboration forms part of its broader efforts to strengthen workers’ organisations, improve social protection and promote participatory governance.

Since 2017, DOLE has approved approximately PHP1.4 million in WODP training grants for the sectoral council. The funding has been aimed at strengthening workers’ organisations and increasing their participation in policy development and labour governance.

The latest agreement reinforces the government’s focus on social dialogue and partnerships between public institutions and workers’ representatives as part of efforts to develop more responsive labour policies and programmes.