ILO chief talks to local labor groups 

INTERNATIONAL Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo had a dialogue with Philippine labor groups on Monday, discussing human rights violations against workers, according to the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).  

In a statement, TUCP said representatives from workers’ organizations had brought up the culture of impunity in the country and other hurdles to the right to organize.  

The dialogue was held ahead of Mr. Houngbo’s scheduled meetings with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and other heads of government agencies.  

The ILO chief reiterated the call he made last year for a new “social contract” between employers and workers worldwide to ensure a decent standard of living and safe working environments, TUCP said.  

In November, he said the ILO planned to start the Global Coalition for Social Justice with international stakeholders from the labor sector, which aims to address labor issues and inequalities. — John Victor D. Ordoñez