Pinoy workers’ conditions to improve after vaccination: Palace

MANILA – Malacañang on Tuesday expressed optimism that the condition of Filipino workers will improve as more of them continue to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this remark after the Philippines was again named by an international labor union federation as among the 10 worst countries for workers in the world.

In its 2021 Global Rights Index, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) listed the 10 worst countries for working people — Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Honduras, Myanmar, the Philippines, Turkey, and Zimbabwe.

Roque said the Palace is saddened over the results of the ITUC’s annual report, but explained that the prevailing pandemic has worsened the situation for workers worldwide.

“Nalulungkot po tayo diyan pero sigurado po ako na yung estado ng mga manggagawa ay apektdo rin po ng pandemya dahil papunta na po tayo sa pangalawang taon ng pandemya (We are saddened by the report, but I am sure that the condition of workers is affected by the pandemic because we are now on our second year of the pandemic),” he said in a press briefing in Pampanga.

However, he was confident that these results would change once a significant percent of the population, including workers, are fully vaccinated.

“At naniniwala tayo na habang dumadami ang hanay ng mga nababakunahan at nabubuksan ang ating ekonomiya, mas bubuti rin ang kalagayan ng mga manggagawa sa ating bayan (We believe that while more groups are getting vaccinated and the economy is starting to open, the condition of our workers will improve),” he added.

According to the 2021 ITUC Global Rights Index documents, governments and employers have exploited the pandemic to dismiss workers who exposed vital information about the spread of the virus in workplaces, violated collective bargaining rights, increased surveillance of workers and undermined the right to privacy, and restricted free speech and assembly.

The report exposed “a shameful roll call of governments and companies that have pursued an anti-union agenda in the face of workers who have stood on the front line providing essential work to keep economies and communities functioning.”

“When Covid-19 hit, we learned who the heroes are. Workers everywhere cared for the sick, put food on our tables, and kept the economy moving. But despite all that, workers are under attack like never before,” ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow said in a statement.

“Governments and employers exploited the pandemic to exploit the people the world depends on by increasing surveillance, breaking agreements, laying off workers, blocking and intimidating unions and resorting to violence and murder,” Burrow added.

The eighth edition of the ITUC Global Rights Index ranks 149 countries on the degree of respect for workers’ rights.

The Philippines has so far administered 12 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines administered since the country kicked off its inoculation in March.

The government aims to achieve population protection by yearend by vaccinating 40 to 50 percent of the population, especially in priority areas.