Employers in the Philippines seek review of old labour policies

They said this will not only protect workers but also provide safety nets to job creators, particularly micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), amid a fast-changing work environment and jobs transformation.

Edgardo G Lacson, Chairman of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), made the call to revisit many policies to rethink existing investment incentives in the transformation of traditional jobs through mentoring in digital skills, data analytics, and information technology.

Labour policy reforms, he added, are critical in the transition to work from home and remote or flexible time arrangements. 

“Business must adapt to compete for talent with the noticeable shift in employees’ preference for work flexibility, mobility, and greater autonomy given the inefficient transport infrastructure in the country,” he said. 

To address unemployment and inequality, Lacson said the government must promote investment-led economic growth that will enhance, strengthen, and expand various platform pillars like digital infrastructure, transport, communication, and energy, among others.

READ: MSMEs key to creating jobs in the Philippines

Lacson has also encouraged the government to join with ECOP in their discussions on the need for stronger social protection for workers, especially for those who have been displaced or undergoing job transition. 

In addition, similar safety nets should be extended to job creators, the business owners, mainly MSMEs, suffering from serial lockdowns, economic contraction, and shock from natural and man-made calamities, he said at the National Conference of Employers, according to Manila Bulletin.