The paper determines the employment implications for the Philippine sugarcane industry of
the integration of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2015. Decent work in the sugarcane
industry espouses four objectives: to 1) to increase employment levels; 2) to improve the working conditions of
sugarcane workers; 3) to expand provision of livelihood, training and income augmenting programs; and 4) to
advance social dialogue processes in the industry.

Findings indicate that the sugarcane industry has already
identified its major program areas such as biofuel production, product diversification and block farming, which
will strategically place the industry at the helm of increasing competition in an integrated ASEAN context. In
support of this strategic direction, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) should undertake skills
mapping for the industry, determine its human resource needs, and identify areas for improvement in the
working conditions of sugar workers.

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Title: Decent Work in an Integrated ASEAN Context: The Case of the Philippine Sugarcane Industry
Researcher: Atty. Stephanie B. Tabladillo