The Philippines has once again been listed among the 10 worst countries for workers, according to the 2024 Global Rights Index released by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) on June 6, 2025.
This marks the ninth consecutive year that the Philippines has been included in the list, as noted by Workers Rights Watch, which includes labor groups such as Kilusang Mayo Uno, Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura, National Federation of Sugar Workers, Alliance of Concerned Teachers, and Migrante Philippines.
Other countries in the 10 worst list include Bangladesh, Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, Eswatini, Myanmar, Nigeria, Tunisia, and Turkey.
The report highlights that the most violated labor rights in the Philippines are the right to strike (87%), followed by the right to collective bargaining (80%), the right to form or join a union (75%), and the right to justice (72%).
Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma responded to the report, stating that it does not consider the current administration’s efforts to resolve long-standing labor issues.
Laguesma argued that if the Philippines were truly among the worst countries for workers, it would not have been elected as a member of the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association last year.
The ITUC Global Rights Index ranks countries based on workers’ rights violations, using a scale from 1 (sporadic violations) to 5+ (no guarantee of rights due to breakdown of the rule of law).
The Philippines has consistently received a rating of 5, indicating no guarantee of rights, with workers facing red-tagging, legal persecution, and crackdowns from state forces.
Unionization rates remain low, with only 7% of private sector workers and 658,729 public sector employees being unionized.
Labor groups continue to call for stronger protections, urging the government to align labor laws with ILO standards and ensure security of tenure for workers.