Sen. Marcos: Lack of support for DOLE – a danger to workers

Senator Imee Marcos has expressed deep concern over the January 2025 report from the Institute for Occupational Health and Safety Development (IOHSAD), which revealed that 24 workers lost their lives while on duty. She stressed that such tragedies must not be ignored and that every worker's safety in the workplace should be a priority.

It can be recalled that in December 2023, Marcos led the Senate's ratification of International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 81, known as the Labour Inspection Convention. This agreement aims to strengthen workplace inspection systems to ensure compliance with occupational safety and health standards.

Recognizing the Department of Labor and Employment's (DOLE) lack of funding and manpower, Senator Marcos called on the government to prioritize allocating sufficient resources to improve workplace safety programs.

"If only the General Appropriations Act (GAA) 2025 were free from corruption, we could have increased DOLE inspectors, assisted factory owners in improving their workplaces, and provided medical aid to injured workers – perhaps this tragedy could have been avoided," Marcos stated.

She further added, "We must ensure that our laws are effectively enforced to protect the lives of our workers. They are essential to the nation's progress and should never be treated as disposable."