PHL still among most restrictive for workers in 2026, ITUC says

By Erika Mae P. Sinaking, Reporter

THE Philippines remains one of the world’s most restrictive environments for workers, according to the 2026 International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Global Rights Index, which placed the country on a “watchlist” due to an increase in recorded rights violations.

Despite moving out of the list of the ten worst countries this year, the Philippines maintains a “Rating 5,” the second-worst possible category, signifying that there is effectively no guarantee of workers’ rights.

“The Philippines has languished in the fifth tier of the Index since its inception. While certain positive changes made in 2025 have meant the country has moved out of the top 10 list of the worst countries in the world for workers, measurable improvements have yet to be reported by unions,” the Belgium-based confederation said in its report released on June 1.

“Without demonstrable improvement, the Philippines’ sustained attack on workers risks a further downgrade in the country’s rating,” it added.

The 13^th edition of the annual survey revealed a challenging landscape for Filipino trade unionists, characterized by the institutionalization of red-tagging, where authorities label union members as subversive communists to justify harassment and intimidation.

The ITUC noted that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed an executive order in 2025 intended to limit the role of the police and military in labor disputes, but added that independent unions have yet to report any measurable improvements in ground-level conditions.

Instead, the report points to new regressive administrative hurdles, such as more complex rules for union recognition that require organizations to undergo difficult certification elections, effectively giving employers more time to discourage workers from organizing.

In a joint open letter issued last week, a coalition of business and labor groups urged Mr. Marcos to bolster protections for freedom of association and labor rights, citing the need for stronger accountability and the effective implementation of measures protecting workers.

In a separate statement on Tuesday, Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO), one of the signatories, said that the country’s removal from the top ten list should not be mistaken for genuine reform.

“The Philippines may no longer be in the top ten worst countries for workers, but workers continue to live under the same machinery of fear and impunity,” said Abdulani Lakibul, chairperson of SENTRO.

He added that the government “cannot claim progress while trade union killings remain unresolved, red-tagging persists, and institutions designed to suppress dissent continue to operate.”

Adding to the friction between the state and labor advocates is the government’s stated “zero strike” target, a policy that the ITUC said, directly undermines the fundamental right to strike.

These local developments mirror a broader regional trend in Asia-Pacific, where the average rating held steady at 4.08, and roughly nine out of ten countries violated the right to establish or join a union, according to ITUC.

Across the region, union-busting practices were reported as widespread, with the Philippines cited alongside nations like Malaysia, Pakistan, and the Republic of Korea for such activities.

On a global scale, ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle characterized the current era as a “billionaire coup against democracy,” where a minority of powerful interests colludes with authoritarian leaders to silence the voices of working people.

The 2026 Index also showed that the right to strike was violated in 87% of the 151 countries surveyed, while the number of nations that arrested or detained workers reached a record high of 50%.

The Philippines shares its “watchlist” status with six other nations, including the United States and Israel, all of which are under scrutiny for deteriorating labor conditions.

As global labor rights hit a record low this year, the ITUC maintains that the Philippines’ continued reliance on repressive tactics and the criminalization of industrial action place its democratic institutions under sustained pressure.

While some countries, such as the United Kingdom and Uruguay, saw rating improvements through inclusive social dialogue, the 2026 Index suggests that the Philippines remains far from such progress, with six out of ten workers worldwide still operating in environments where rights are not guaranteed.