Labour Code: A blueprint for decent work

When labour rights are written into law, its impact lasts. The Philippines made history in 1974 when it enacted its Labour Code, a first in Asia. It was a bold step to protect workers’ rights and improve their living standards, boost productivity and competitiveness, and promote decent work. 

Behind this milestone was the steady hand of the International Labour Organization (ILO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, as it offered global expertise and guidance to shape a law that – with modifications and updates – still stands strong today.  

"The role of the International Labour Organization in helping us formulate the Labor Code cannot be overemphasized. Since its enactment in 1974, this crucial document has served as a foundation that protects the rights and well-being of Filipino workers,” Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma said. 

The ILO supported the Philippines in addressing work-related issues and shaping its policies and programmes through social dialogue.  The ILO has a unique, tripartite structure, with equal representation of workers and employers, alongside the government. 

The Labour Code institutionalized ILO’s tripartism in industrial relations, particularly in minimum wage setting and in compulsory arbitration to settle labour disputes. At the heart of this milestone was Blas Ople, the longest-serving Labour Secretary in Philippine history.  

The country's economic growth rate has broken all previous records. But growth alone is not an infallible index of progress. The Government enacted a Labour Code which constitutes a charter of human rights for the Filipino workers, a Code that eliminates all forms of discrimination in employment,” said Ople at the ILO’s International Labour Conference (ILC) in June 1975. 

Ople was also the first Filipino to be elected as President of the ILC, by over 1,500 delegates, in 1975. In addition, he served as journalist, Senate President Pro-Tempore in 1996-1999, Senate President in 1999-2000 and Foreign Affairs Secretary in 2002-2003, until his death. 

Prior to the Labour Code, Ople requested for an ILO mission to the Philippines to study its wage and employment landscape and to help identify challanges. He deemed it critical to have a UN report by experts on labour and employment, which involved the ILO, the World Bank and well-known academic institutions. 

Decades later, the legacy of the Labour Code continues in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Rising from armed conflict, the region crafted its own Labour Code in close collaboration with the ILO, drawing on its expertise and guidance.  

The Bangsamoro Labor and Employment Code (BLEC) – a first of its kind is now a priority legislative measure. The journey began with a comprehensive needs assessment of the region’s labour administration and inspection system. The BLEC aims to pave the way for sustainable development and lasting peace in the region. 

“The Labour Code is more than a law but a blueprint for dignity and equality, and a cornerstone of social justice. It highlights the importance of an inclusive labour market governance, from setting a historic milestone as Asia’s first national Labour Code to laying the foundation for lasting peace in the Bangsamoro region,” according to ILO Philippines Country Director Khalid Hassan.  

The UN continues to shape inclusive policies and strengthen institutions anchored on decent work and social justice to ensure no one is left behind.  

“We stand firm in following ILO’s guidance and principle to ensure that every Filipino worker has access to decent work, lives with dignity, and takes part in building a just and peaceful society under the Marcos Jr. Administration's vision for a Bagong Pilipinas. This is the kind of nation we all deserve,” Secretary Laguesma added.