• DOLE Assistant Secretary Maria Teresita Cucueco;
• Partners from the government, employers and workers organizations, including regional representatives;
• Colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, good morning!

Let me first congratulate everyone on the successful completion of the series of regional baseline study and sectoral assessment as well as the Tripartite Strategic Compliance Planning Workshops, under the ILO Project on Improving Workers Rights in the Rural Sectors of Indo-Pacific with a focus on Women.

I would also like to thank the United States Department of Labor (US DOL) for supporting the Project and making this series of activities possible.

These regional initiatives brought together Regional ITCs to discuss rural working conditions. These efforts used the Project’s baseline study and sectoral assessments findings, and draft Regional Strategic Compliance Plans to address decent work deficits.

Rural workers are often exposed to work hazards that affect their safety, health, well-being, and productivity.

Results of the baseline study and sectoral assessments show that extreme weather, chemical use, manual handling, and physical work environment pose safety and health risks in agriculture, fishing, and mining sectors.

Rural workers, especially women are more vulnerable due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The presentation of the baseline study and sectoral assessments, as well as the Tripartite Strategic Compliance Plan Workshops, allow us to review and validate the findings, contextualize them to the national level, and complement regional plans to fully address gaps in decent work conditions.

The ILO Global Call to Action, which combines two sets of actions, at the national and the multilateral levels, includes developing a comprehensive agenda with specific plans to improve working conditions and protect workers.

These initiatives, particularly the Strategic Compliance Plans, will help the Project, and the ILO strengthen the government and social partners’ capacity to enforce national labour laws and promote compliance with international labour standards.

This work also contributes to the Decent Work Country Programme of the Philippines, which seeks to improve labour market governance.

It will do this by enhancing workers’ and employers’ capacity to influence policies and decision-making.

In closing, I would like to recognize all Project partners for the strong collaboration and social dialogue during the baseline study and sectoral assessment exercise.

This synergy proves that by working together, we can close gaps in working conditions and increase labour law compliance, safety and health and gender equality in rural sectors.

I wish everyone a successful and fruitful discussion.

Thank you!