The Institute for Labor Studies, through its representative Malorie Joy O. Mones of the Workers Welfare Research Division, participated in the 2nd Consultative Workshop: A Bill Seeking to Address Root Causes of Informality” and “Consultation Workshop Towards Development of Typology of Transitioning Informal Economic Units, Its Workers, and Informal Economy Workers in Formal Workplaces” held on 10 April 2017 in Hotel Jen Manila, Pasay City and on 19 April 2017 in Occupational Safety and Health Center, Quezon City.

The workshop, organized by National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) and Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC), was a follow up to the first consultative workshop on the bill seeking to address the root causes of informality in the Context of ILO Recommendation No. 204, and with the goal to mainstream the informal economic units and informal economy workers.

The main drivers of informality that were identified in the first workshop included inefficient public institutions, inappropriate frameworks, economic crisis, low level of education, and poverty.

For the second workshop, Ms. Susanita Tesiorna, Council Member of NAPC-WIS (Workers in the Informal Sector), pointed out that the bill only aims to cover the following enterprises: individual micro-enterprise; group micro-enterprise livelihood association; and social and solidarity economy and/or social enterprises (SSEE’s/SE’s). It also only covers the following workers: workers who work for informal economic units such as individual and group micro-enterprises, and SSEE’s/SE’s; workers of cooperatives; industrial homeworkers; and commission-based workers.

As ways forward, ILS is looking into mapping the good practices of other countries in the transition of their informal sectors and acess its applicability in the Philippines. ILS also sees the need to review Barangay Micro Business Enterprise (BMBE), MCWIE, and Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act in doing legislative analytics related to the informal economy and its workers.

The Institute for Labor Studies (ILS) is the policy research and advocacy arm of the Department of Labor and Employment. For more information about ILS products and services, please visit: http://ils.dole.gov.ph or call Advocacy and Publications Division at tel.no. 527-3490.