Labor education to be included in higher education curriculum

by Vanne Elaine Terrazola, Manila Bulletin, 4 Sep 2020

The Senate is set to start plenary discussions on the measure that would require the inclusion of labor education in the curriculum higher education curriculum to enhance awareness on workers rights. This would, in turn, bring about higher compliance with labor laws as well as lower incidence of violations of workers’ rights.

Senator Joel Villanueva, chairman of the Senate higher education committee, endorsed for plenary approval Senate Bill No. 1513 which requires universities and colleges to integrate labor education into the general education curriculum of higher education courses.

In his sponsorship speech Tuesday, Villanueva said the bill would address the problem of labor rights violations in the workplaces by educating future workers, employers and entrepreneurs on existing labor laws.

“During a period of massive job displacements and implementation of various company cost-cutting measures brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is all the more important that we have a labor force who is knowledgeable of their labor rights and remedies under the law in case their rights are violated,” stressed Villanueva, who also chairs the chamber’s labor committee.

He also said that a huge number of Filipino workers in the country and abroad still face problems due to the disregard of current laws on the rights and protection of workers.

The problems “range from unemployment and underemployment to problems concerning fair wages, job security, safe workplaces, social protection, and unfair labor practices,” he said.

“Disregarded are the labor rights of Filipino workers, and it is not uncommon to see that these rights are violated, at home, and more so abroad. Some of these rights include the rights of workers to self-organization, collective bargaining, security of tenure, and just and humane conditions of work,” he added.

He cited the apparent lack of knowledge on labor rights and access to legal assistance, both on the part of workers and entrepreneurs.

“Clearly, the government must strive to make every Filipino worker aware of his or her rights. It is equally unfortunate that even Filipino entrepreneurs are also inadequately educated on labor rights,” Villanueva said.

Under SB No. 1513, which consolidated related bills on labor education as well as a counterpart measure from the House of Representatives, labor education was defined as the “teaching of labor rights, workers’ welfare and benefits, core labor standards, labor laws and regulations, the national and global labor situation, labor market concerns, labor issues, overseas work and related problems, the nature of human labor, the role of labor in the self-realization of the human being, the foundations of the dignity of labor, and other topics related to labor and employment.”

It shall be included into the mandatory social science subjects in the higher education courses offered by universities and colleges.

The bill also proposes to mandate the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to include the same topic in its training programs.