PHILIPPINE PROGRESS in addressing labor issues is slated to come under review next year as the United States Trade Representative (USTR) office studies a complaint involving the Philippines’ status as a Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) beneficiary.
“As part of past GSP annual reviews … [the USTR] accepted for review petitions to modify the GSP status of certain … beneficiary developing countries because of country practices,” it said in a Dec. 12 notice calling for a January 24 public hearing on a four year-old case.
“[T]he ongoing reviews of outstanding country practice petitions [are] related to concerns about internationally recognized worker rights and/or child labor in Bangladesh, Niger, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan,” the USTR added.
The GSP, renewed by US President Barack Obama last month, grants eligible developing and least developed economies affordable access to the US market in a bid to stimulate domestic productivity among America’s partners. Over 4,800 products from 129 beneficiary countries are allowed to enter the US duty-free through the scheme.
The program, however, requires beneficiaries to take effective steps toward upgrading and implementing labor standards. They stand to lose preferential treatment otherwise as in the case of Belarus, which was suspended in 2000 for failing to protect workers’ rights to association and collective bargaining.
The Philippines was the subject of a 2007 complaint from the International Labor Rights Forum, a US-based non-profit entity, which asked the USTR to investigate unionist killings between 2001 and 2007, systematic denial by government of workers right to freedom of association, and Dole Philippines, Inc.’s alleged exploitation of contractual pineapple farmers.
The case involving Dole Philippines was suspended in 2008 but the others remain subject to ongoing reviews.
Sought for comment, Labor Secretary Rosalinda D. Baldoz said in a text message yesterday: “We are regularly reporting progress on government commitments on cases in legislative agenda.”
The renewed GSP is scheduled to remain effective until July 31, 2013. — EJD, Businessworld
July 2025
Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos
July
3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
5 July – World Youth Skills Day
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day
17 July – World Day for International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
Monthly Observances:
Schools Safety Month
Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
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