A safer world of work

In 2019, the International Labor Organization adopted ILO Convention No. 190, the first international treaty recognizing the right of all people to a work environment free from violence and harassment.

On 20 February 2024, the Philippines deposited its instrument of ratification, signaling the country’s commitment to this fundamental principle.

That commitment has now been concretized through Department Order No. 259, or the Guidelines on the Prevention and Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the Workplace (the “Guidelines”), issued by the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) on 31 July 2026.

Grounded in Article 5 of the Labor Code, the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act, and the Safe Spaces Act, the Guidelines enjoin private establishments to adopt workplace policies to combat all forms of violence and harassment.

Notably, the Guidelines are advisory in nature, built on cooperation and tripartism between employers and workers rather than compulsion.

The Guidelines cover all private establishments, regardless of size or sector, and extend protection beyond regular employees to include job applicants, interns, apprentices, volunteers, terminated workers and even persons exercising the authority of an employer.

Protection likewise follows the worker wherever work happens — during commutes, business trips, work-related social events, and even through digital communications and online platforms.

In an age when the workplace is no longer confined to four office walls, this expanded coverage is both timely and necessary.

Four broad categories of offending conduct are identified: physical violence, such as assault, pushing and hitting; psychological violence and harassment, including bullying, intimidation, exclusion and, now explicitly, harassing performance-monitoring practices; economic violence and harassment, such as withholding wages or benefits or delaying final pay to intimidate or retaliate; and sexual violence and harassment, including stalking, unwelcome physical contact, sexually explicit messages and quid pro quo demands.

Establishments may implement the Guidelines through a stand-alone workplace policy or a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Either modality must carry a zero-tolerance statement and be jointly developed with workers through existing structures — principally the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Committee, which oversees implementation and the Committee on Decorum and Investigation, which handles complaints and must be headed by a woman and composed mostly of women.

Establishments with more than 200 workers are encouraged to organize a Family Welfare Committee for the development of advocacy strategies and training interventions for all workers.

The stand-alone workplace policy or CBA must likewise provide for prevention through signages, advocacy campaigns and capacity-building; enforcement through a grievance redress mechanism, referral to mental health and reintegration services, paid leave and flexible work arrangements for victim-survivors and a non-retaliation clause; and education and training on relevant laws for workers and committee members.

Compliance is monitored quarterly by the OSH Committee, while employers must report annually to the DoLE on the status of their policy and any cases filed, pending or resolved.

The DoLE, for its part, must position itself as a partner of private establishments rather than as merely an enforcer. It shall extend technical assistance, provide a help desk under the Single-Entry Approach and a hotline for workers concerned, and develop relevant learning modules and knowledge materials to help employers better understand and comply with the Guidelines. It shall also coordinate with other government agencies to address categories of workers, including those in the informal and digital economy, who are not yet fully covered.

At its core, Department Order No. 259 translates the Philippines’ ratification of ILO Convention No. 190 into an actionable workplace policy. It gives employers and workers a shared, DoLE-backed framework for workplaces that are not only productive, but also safe, respectful and dignified.

After all, no one should have to choose between earning a living and preserving one’s dignity. A truly decent workplace must provide both.