• Duterte signs into law OFW Handbook bill

President Duterte has signed into law a measure that mandates the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to develop, disseminate and update a handbook on the rights and responsibilities of migrant workers.

• Japan openings for nurses and caregivers

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is now accepting applications for nurses caregivers for deployment to Japan. They will be deployed under the Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement’s Framework for the Movement of Natural Persons

• Malaysia PM warns Philippines vs influx of foreign workers

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Thursday warned the Philippines against letting in foreigners who could “disturb the political equations” after President Duterte’s Beijing pivot sparked an influx of Chinese workers.

• DOLE plan won’t solve lack of construction workers – TUCP

Limiting the number of construction workers for deployment abroad, as planned by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), will only force workers to use backdoor means to leave the Philippines since they could get better salaries and benefits abroad.

• DoLE to sign labor deal with Japan for at least 100,000 specialized jobs

THE Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said it will sign an agreement with Japan on Tuesday that could result in at least 100,000 workers with specialized skills, including caregivers.

• TUCP warns employers not to discriminate against hiring women because of EML

A labor group warned employers that those who will engage in discriminatory practices to avoid compliance with the Expanded Maternity Leave (EML) Law will face lawsuits.

• Villanueva wants law to ensure Filipinos are priority in PH employment

Senator Joel Villanueva on Friday pushed for the passage of a measure that would require Filipino employers to ensure that at least 80 percent of their collective workforce are Filipinos.

• Young workers at risk of injuries and deaths, says ILO study

YOUNG workers aged 15 to 24 dominate sectors of manufacturing, construction and services—the key drivers of the country’s 6.2 percent economic growth in 2018. The Labor Force Survey of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in 2013 indicated that the youth comprise 19.2 percent or 7.3 million of the total workforce. However, the International Labor Organization (ILO) in Manila said young workers in the Philippines are the most vulnerable to unsafe and unhealthy working conditions.

• Conflict and mass displacement increase child labour

Conflict and crisis in the Middle East and North Africa has led to an increase in child labour across the region, including in children’s involvement in armed conflict and other illicit activities, a new report finds.