ILO and Canada Join Forces Against Forced Labour in the Philippines

“Forced labour has no place in our societies,” said Khalid Hassan, Director of the ILO Country Office for the Philippines, describing its elimination as fundamental to decent work, social justice and human dignity.

Workers in the Philippines face risks of forced labour that can remain hidden within farms, factories and other workplaces, with informal employment, gaps in labour protection and financial pressures increasing their vulnerability to exploitation. A new four-year partnership between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Canada will help strengthen the country's response, placing worker protection, access to justice and responsible business practices at the centre of efforts to address the problem.

Bringing Hidden Exploitation Into Focus

The initiative, called Promoting Responsive Institutions and Mechanisms to Eliminate Forced Labour in the Philippines (PRIME PH), is supported by the Labour Program of Employment and Social Development Canada and will run until February 2030. It will bring together the Philippine Government, workers' and employers' organizations and other partners to improve policies, strengthen institutions and develop measures that prevent forced labour and support people affected by it.

The hidden nature of forced labour makes its scale difficult to measure and leaves authorities facing challenges in identifying workers who need protection. Agriculture, manufacturing and mining are among the tradable sectors where these risks are relevant, making the issue a concern for both workers' rights and businesses responsible for conditions across their supply chains. Manufacturing and agriculture, including products exported to Canada, are among the project's targeted sectors.

"Forced labour has no place in our societies," said Khalid Hassan, Director of the ILO Country Office for the Philippines, describing its elimination as fundamental to decent work, social justice and human dignity. The ILO recognizes freedom from forced or compulsory labour as a fundamental principle and right at work, making protection from coercion an essential part of decent employment.

Connecting Worker Protection With Responsible Trade

PRIME PH will support stronger mechanisms to prevent exploitation, protect workers and improve access to justice and remedies, addressing practical difficulties that can stop existing protections from reaching people who need them. The project also seeks to strengthen compliance with international labour standards and encourage businesses to take responsibility for labour conditions connected to their operations.

Canada's Minister of Jobs and Families, Patty Hajdu, linked the initiative to the countries' trade relationship, including manufacturing and agriculture, as they explore a potential bilateral free trade agreement and Canada advances trade negotiations with ASEAN. She described worker protection as central to that economic partnership, with benefits extending to businesses and communities in both countries.

Philippine Labour Secretary Francis Tolentino emphasised the connection between protection from forced labour, human dignity and fair competition, presenting strong labour standards as part of the country's position in global trade. Canada's Secretary of State for Labour, John Zerucelli, said the partnership would help prevent forced labour in Philippine tradeable sectors and strengthen protections for workers.

Turning Existing Commitments Into Practical Protection

Both countries have ratified the ILO's Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), and Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105), reflecting their commitments to address the practice. The Philippines has national action plans against trafficking in persons and child labour, and its laws prohibit human trafficking for forced labour. Canada has prohibited imports of goods produced wholly or partly through forced labour since 2020, with the release also reporting a new legislative framework to strengthen that ban.

The Philippines continues to face difficulties in detecting cases, preventing exploitation, protecting victims and enforcing existing measures, leaving significant work between policy commitments and their implementation. PRIME PH will address these gaps through cooperation among government agencies, workers, employers, civil society and other partners, with stronger institutions and meaningful dialogue forming key parts of its approach.

Nearly 100 representatives from government, labour and business organisations, civil society, development partners, academia and the private sector attended the launch. Hassan described the partnership as an investment in collective action that protects vulnerable people and supports a future in which everyone can work in freedom and dignity.