Migratory sugarcane workers (MSWs) are among the most vulnerable sectors in the Philippine society. They have to face a number of risks, including precarious working conditions, limited access to social protection mechanisms, and seasonality of employment. Cognizant of their vulnerabilities, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regulates the employment of MSWs by virtue of Department Order (DO) Number 159-16, which intends to strengthen protection of MSWs. In this paper, the authors seek to analyze the patterns involved in recruiting MSWs, their living and working conditions, as well as their coping strategies and aspirations.

The analysis is based on data gathered from focus group discussions (FGDs) with MSWs and their families, key informant interviews with planters, their authorized representatives, and employees of DOLE and other concerned government offices, and participant observation. The findings indicate that deeply entrenched social inequalities cause and aggravate the vulnerable situation of MSWs. Given that sugarcane harvesting affords meager pay for sheer hard work, MSWs are usually sourced from areas where there are limited employment opportunities. Without alternative sources of income, ‘anticipo’ or cash advances have been used as a tool to recruit MSWs, which in turn make them heavily reliant on planters and recruiters. It is therefore recommended for government interventions to target underlying mechanisms which perpetuate the social inequalities besetting the sector. Moreover, these development-orientated actions must be complemented with regulatory measures to ascertain that MSWs would actually receive the benefits mandated by law.

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Title: AN ANALYSIS OF PRACTICES AND POLICIES IN THE EMPLOYMENT OF MIGRATORY SUGARCANE WORKERS (MSWS)
Researcher: Maria Isabel D. Artajo || Ronell J. Delerio || Miraluna S. Tacadao