The Executive Director of the Institute for Labor Studies took part in the Panel Discussion on Social Partnerships at the 34th National Conference of Employers held at the Marriott Hotel with the theme “Inclusive Growth: Vision, Prescriptions and Action.”

The panel discussion with the theme “Social Partnerships: Enhancing Productive and Decent Employment” brought together experts from government, international organization, labor sector, and private sector to identify the role of government and international organizations in enhancing productive and decent employment.

“The social partnership on enhancing decent and productive employment in the Philippines is meaningful and robust. Since 2001, when the 1st cycle of the Decent Work Agenda was rolled out and up to its third cycle which ended in 2010, the tripartite mechanism has been a solid venue for exchanging information and facilitating the understanding of decent work and translating solutions into a common agenda and action plan including the monitoring of tis implementation,” said Cynthia R. Cruz, Executive Director of the Institute for Labor Studies.

“The best demonstration of this solid social partnership is the Philippine Labor and Employment Plan 2011-2016 which constitutes the basic framework through which the DOLE and its social partners agreed to pursue the objective of “inclusive growth through decent and productive work,” said Cruz

The Philippine Labor Employment Plan 2011-2016 was signed and launched in April 2011 during the 1st National Summit on Labor and Employment. The Plan is the government’s blueprint on labor and employment policies and programs. It represents the collective priorities of tripartite partners, namely, labor, employers and government.

In her speech, the ILS Executive Director noted that the probability of reaching the goals of decent and productive work as targeted in the Labor and Employment Plan is high given the performance for the first two years.

Executive Director Cruz was joined during the panel discussion by its moderator Atty. Ranulfo Payos, Vice President of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, and fellow panel discussants led by International Labour Organization Country Director Lawrence Jeffrey Johnson, Federation of Free Workers National President Atty. Jose Sonny Matula, and Mr. Feliciano Torres, President and General Manager of Yazaki-Torres Manufacturing Inc.

The 34th National Conference of Employers brought together the country’s business leaders, corporate executives and union leaders.

The ILS is the policy research and advocacy arm of the Department of Labor and Employment. The Philippine Labor and Employment Plan 2011-2016 and the Labor and Employment Plan Progress Report is downloadable at their website at www.ils.dole.gov.ph.

(For more information on this press release please contact Ms. Linartes M. Viloria, Chief Labor & Employment Officer, Advocacy & Publications Division, Institute for Labor Studies, Telephone Nos.: 5273490 / 5273447)