Workers at a shoe factory in Barangay Concepcion in Marikina City perform different tasks in making footwear products on September 27, 2023.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174928833457917454931191811738383220693Shoe-factory-workers.webp" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Workers at a shoe factory in Barangay Concepcion in Marikina City perform different tasks in making footwear products on September 27, 2023.  <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — For the ninth year in a row, the Philippines ranked among the top 10 worst countries for workers, based on the International Trade Union Confederation&#x27;s (ITUC) Global Rights Index 2025.</p><p>According to the report, working people in the country face police persecution, while union activists experience &quot;red-tagging&quot; and state crackdown.</p><p>&quot;Workers and unions in the Philippines exist in a daily struggle to exercise even the most basic rights in a venomous environment of endemic harassment, violence, and death,&quot; the Global Rights Index reads.</p><p>The country has been part of the top 10 list since 2017.</p><p>Out of 1 to 5+, the Philippines received a rating of 5, meaning there is &quot;no guarantee of rights&quot; in the Philippines.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/6/4/house-oks-bill-for-p200-hike-in-daily-wage-on-third-and-final-reading-1751">House OKs bill for P200 hike in daily wage on third and final reading</a></div><p>&quot;While the legislation may spell out certain rights, workers have effectively no access to these rights and are therefore exposed to autocratic regimes and unfair labor practices,&quot; the ITUC said in its description of ratings.</p><p>Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma disagreed with the rating, telling ABS-CBN News in a Viber message: &quot;The rating to me does not take into consideration sincere efforts of the present administration to resolve long pending issues.&quot;</p><p>Laguesma questioned why the Philippines is supposedly among the worst nations for workers if it was elected as a member of the Committee on Freedom of Association for the first time last year.</p><p>The committee, which is under the International Labour Organization (ILO), examines complaints on violations of freedom of association.</p><p>Laguesma added the Global Rights Index is undertaken by just one international labor organization, and &quot;does not represent the full constituency of the ILO.&quot;</p><p>He highlighted that the Philippines is not among the countries that the Committee on the Application of Standards (CAS) will examine this year.</p><p>Laguesma added that for the last two years, the Philippine government has been addressing complaints filed since 2009.</p><p>&quot;I have to stress that the decision of the CAS in not including the Philippines among the countries for examination this year is a decision of the entire tripartite constituency of the ILO including governments, employers, and workers [sic],&quot; Laguesma said.</p><p>The other nine countries on the list are Bangladesh, Myanmar, Belarus, Nigeria, Ecuador, Egypt, Tunisia, Eswatini, and Türkiye.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/4/24/as-elections-and-labor-day-draw-near-workers-call-for-salary-increase-pro-worker-reforms-2040">As elections and Labor Day draw near, workers call for salary increase, pro-worker reforms</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OXBO7tPqV2c?si=DTrAOPYeC0UUqesX" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>For the ninth year in a row, the Philippines ranked among the top 10 worst countries for workers, based on the International Trade Union Confederation's (ITUC) Global Rights Index 2025.</p>

For the ninth year in a row, the Philippines ranked among the top 10 worst countries for workers, based on the International Trade Union Confederation's (ITUC) Global Rights Index 2025.

PH among top 10 worst countries for workers for 9th year — ITUC

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PH among top 10 worst countries for workers for 9th year — ITUC

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 07, 2025 06:13 PM PHT

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Updated Jun 07, 2025 06:17 PM PHT

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