Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (Philippines)

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Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (Philippines) A labor and human rights NGO in the Philippines working for empowerment of workers

In the spirit of solidarity to fight state repression and to restore workers’ inherent right to life and dignity, the Center for Trade and Human Rights (CTUHR) was conceived by a group of religious people, labour rights advocates and trade unionists in 1984. CTUHR’s purpose is to confront state and capitalist’s human rights violations not with an equally evil force but with an awareness that strength and emancipation lies in the hands of the workers’ themselves and in solidarity with the poor and the oppressed. CTUHR is committed to the cause of advancing genuine, democratic, nationalist and militant trade unionism. It is against all forms of deception and coercion that seeks to derail this cause. The Center believes that repression can and has taken on different and subtle forms like labour legislations, and flexible employment schemes, amongst others and therefore devotes herself to exposing these devious moves.

: Police warnings inside union offices threaten Freedom of AssociationThe Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUH...
21/09/2026

: Police warnings inside union offices threaten Freedom of Association

The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) condemns the reported visit of a Manila Police District official to the officers of workers’ unions at the University of the Philippines Manila on September 16, where the police reportedly raised reminders about the supposed “no permit, no rally” policy and warned against violence and vandalism in connection with the planned September 21 protests.

Police Major Kristin Cabigting claimed that the visits to the All UP Workers Union-Manila/PGH and All UP Academic Employees Union-Manila were merely part of security coordination. However, bringing police presence and warnings directly into union officers, particularly ahead of a major protest action, can create an atmosphere of intimidation among union officers and members.

Workers should not have to feel their union offices are being monitored or that their participation in legitimate public activities is being watched by the police.

For CTUHR, this raises serious concerns about Freedom of Association and the right of workers to organize and participate in collective action without intimidation or interference.

Unions are legitimate organizations of workers. Their offices should remain spaces where workers can organize, discuss workplace concerns, defend their rights, and participate in broader social issues affecting them and their communities. Police presence in these spaces should not become a means of discouraging workers from exercising their rights.

This is particularly concerning as the government and police intensify preparations for the September 21 demonstrations. The National Capital Region Police Office has placed the region on full alert and announced the deployment of more than 15,000 police personnel for the planned protests.

If the government truly respects the right to protest, they must extend it to the workers and their organizations before, during, and after a protest. Respect for freedom of assembly cannot be separated from respect for freedom of association.

Union members do not lose their rights when they leave the workplace to participate in peaceful public action. Their right to organize, speak, assemble, and collectively express their concerns shall, at all times, be protected.

CTUHR therefore calls on the Philippine National Police and Department of the Interior and Local Government to ensure that security preparations do not become a means of intimidating workers, union leaders, or human rights defenders. Any legitimate security concern must be addressed through lawful, transparent, and rights-respecting measures.

We also call on the UP Administration to protect the independence and safety of unions within the university and ensure that police presence does not interfere with legitimate union activities.

At a time when political repression and attacks on democratic rights remain a serious concern, the response of the state should not be to create greater fear among workers and their unions.

Stop the intimidation of workers and unions!
Respect and uphold Freedom of Association!

| DOLE Must Defend Wage Order 27, Implement P85 Increase for NCR WorkersThe Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (C...
19/09/2026

| DOLE Must Defend Wage Order 27, Implement P85 Increase for NCR Workers

The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) calls on the Philippine government to stand by and defend Wage Order No. 27 (WO NCR-27) and ensure the full implementation of the P85 daily wage increase for workers in the National Capital Region.

The WO NCR-27 remains an existing wage order. The National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) continues to list it alongside WO NCR-28, while noting that its implementation is subject to continuing litigation before the Regional Trial Courts in Pasig and Navotas (https://nwpc.dole.gov.ph/ncr/).

The NWPC itself has also affirmed the validity of WO NCR-27 (https://nwpc.dole.gov.ph/nwpcs-official-statement-on-the-injunction-order-issued-by-the-pasig-city-regional-trial-court/).

The P85 increase under WO NCR-27 was supposed to be implemented in two tranches: an initial P60 increase, followed by another P25 increase in January 2027. However, its implementation was halted following court petitions and Temporary Restraining Orders sought by business groups, including Readycon Trading and Construction Corp., and R-II Builders.

Workers should not be made to bear the burden of a legal dispute over a wage increase that was granted through an established wage-setting process.

Further, the issuance of WO NCR-28, which provided another P60 daily wage increase effective September 26, 2026, should not be used as a reason to abandon or set aside WO NCR-27.

The issuance of WO NCR-28 does not erase the wage increase previously granted under WO NCR-27. In fact, there is no provision in the current wage order stating that the WO NCR-27 is repealed or superseded.

The continuing controversy surrounding Wage Order Nos. 27 and 28 also exposes the limitations of the regional wage-setting system. While the government continues to rely on regional wage boards to determine minimum wages, workers remain trapped in wage increases that are delayed, inadequate, and unable to keep pace with the rising cost of living.

The government must therefore do more than issue wage orders. It must defend and enforce them. The Department of Labor and Employment and the Marcos Jr. administration must ensure that the wage-setting process serves workers and does not allow business interests and prolonged legal challenges to undermine workers' gains.

For workers struggling with the rising prices of food, transportation, housing, utilities, and other basic necessities, the P85 increase under WO NCR-27 cannot simply be put on hold indefinitely.

CTUHR reiterates its call for the abolition of the regional wage board system and the establishment of a national living wage of P1,200 per day that would allow workers and their families to live with dignity.

Implement Wage Orders 27 and 28 in full.
Give workers the wage increase they deserve.
Living wage now!

| Junk trumped-up charges vs three Cebu human rights defendersThe Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) stro...
06/09/2026

| Junk trumped-up charges vs three Cebu human rights defenders

The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) strongly condemns the arrest warrants targeting three human rights defenders in Visayas. The charges must be junked and the rights defenders must be freed from this continuing persecution.

On August 31, 2026, human rights defenders John Ruiz III, Jhonggie Rumol, and Dyan Gumanao were targeted with an arrest warrant in connection with an attempted murder case filed in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental.

Ruiz, Rumol, and Gumanao are known for their work with workers, communities, and other marginalized sectors. Ruiz is a long-time organizer and currently serve as Vice President for Visayas of MAKABAYAN coalition. Rumol is a former executive director and current consultant of the Visayas Institute for Human Dignity and Advancement, Inc. (VIHDA), while Gumanao is a human rights defender and Vice Chairperson of HUSTISYA.

The circumstances surrounding the case raise serious questions about due process. The three reportedly did not receive copies of the complaint or subpoenas and were not given a chance to answer the allegations before the warrant was issued. These are not minor procedural issues. The right to due process must be respected, especially when criminal charges are being used against activists and human rights defenders.

This is not the first time that the three have faced attacks because of their work. Ruiz has previously been charged in connection with an anti-corruption protest and was also implicated in a frustrated murder case in Negros Occidental even though he was in Cebu at the time. Rumol was among 27 community development workers charged with financing terrorism, a case that was dismissed in 2026.

Gumanao herself has experienced one of the most serious forms of state attack. In 2023, she and her husband, Armand Dayoha, were abducted in Cebu and subjected to interrogation and psychological abuse before being forced to sign documents presented as proof of their supposed “surrender.”

The work of these three defenders directly involves standing with people who are fighting for their rights. Ruiz has worked with workers, urban poor communities, and groups opposing projects that threaten communities. Gumanao has organized teachers and used journalism and alternative media to highlight concerns of workers and marginalized communities. Rumol, through VIHDA, supported workers facing union-busting, illegal dismissal, excessive working hours, and other labor rights violations.

Their cases show how activists and human rights defenders can be repeatedly dragged into criminal proceedings simply because of their political and community work. Instead of protecting people who speak up against abuses and defend the rights of workers and communities, state institutions continue to be used to harass and intimidate them.

The courts must not allow themselves to become instruments of this repression. The charges against John Ruiz, Jhonggie, and Dyan must be immediately junked, and all forms of harassment against them must stop.

The Marcos Jr. government must end the criminalization of activists and human rights defenders. It must uphold due process, respect fundamental freedoms, and hold accountable those responsible for the continuing attacks against people who defend workers, communities, and human rights.

Human rights defenders should not be in prison or facing trumped-up charges simply because they choose to stand with the people. The charges must be junked. Stop the persecution. Hands off human rights defenders!

31/08/2026

📦 PISO KADA PARCEL? PWEDE BA ’YUN? 🤔

Ating alamin kung “Manggagawa lang malakas💪” sa ganitong sistema.

Panoorin ang pagtingin ng Labor Rights Defenders Network (LRD-Net) at Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) kung makatarungan ba ang pakyawan o piece-rate work, at ano ang mga karapatan ng manggagawa sa ganitong uri ng trabaho👀⚖

: International Day of the DisappearedStatement | From father to son, state abductions continue to silence dissentThe ...
30/08/2026

: International Day of the Disappeared

Statement | From father to son, state abductions continue to silence dissent

The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) today calls for the immediate surfacing of all desaparecidos as it marks the International Day of the Disappeared, saying the continued abduction of activists shows that state forces still use enforced disappearance to silence dissent.

CTUHR highlights four cases of labor activists who were abducted and remain missing: labor organizer Elizabeth “Loi” Magbanua, agricultural organizer William Lariosa, urban poor leader Iver Larit, and former labor information officer James Jazmines.

Magbanua was abducted in Metro Manila in May 2022. Lariosa was abducted in Bukidnon in April 2024, while Larit and Jazmines were abducted in Negros and Albay in April 2022 and August 2024, respectively.

“These cases show that abduction remains a tool to silence workers, activists, and community leaders. The state cannot claim to respect human rights while people who speak up for their communities continue to disappear,” said Kamz Deligente, CTUHR executive director.

CTUHR says the four cases also show how families are left without answers while state institutions fail to provide effective remedies or accountability.

In Magbanua’s case, her family continues to seek answers despite the Supreme Court’s issuance of a writ of amparo (https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CoHK3MnoB/). In Lariosa’s case, local courts have dismissed petitions filed by his family seeking information on his whereabouts (https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CKnrjk7hN/).

Larit was subjected to red-tagging and legal harassment before he disappeared, while Jazmines had faced surveillance and threats before his disappearance. His wife had also been publicly red-tagged.

“The labor sector has long faced this form of state violence. From Cory Aquino to the present, successive governments have failed to dismantle the system that allows activists and labor organizers to be abducted and disappeared,” Deligente said.

The Marcos Jr. administration has a responsibility to end this continuing pattern of enforced disappearance instead of allowing it to become part of another administration's record of human rights violations.

The group notes that the Marcos Sr. dictatorship was responsible for the disappearance of 1,000 people. Under Marcos Jr., at least 15 activities have reportedly disappeared.

“From father to son, the machinery of abduction remains. Marcos Jr. must not allow his administration to inherit and perpetuate the practice of using state power to silence those who challenge the injustice,” Deligente added.

CTUHR highlights that enforced disappearance violates fundamental rights protected under the 1987 Constitution, including the rights to life, liberty, freedom of expression, and peaceful assembly.

The group also calls on the government to sign and ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED), which provides an international framework for preventing and addressing enforced disappearances.

CTUHR expresses its solidarity with the families of victims and joins the call to surface all desaparecidos and hold accountable all those responsible for disappearance of thousands of rights activists.

: August 2026 IssueThe August 2026 issue of the CTUHR Monitor, “Ulat sa Kalagayan ng mga Manggagawa sa Ika-apat na Taon...
30/08/2026

: August 2026 Issue

The August 2026 issue of the CTUHR Monitor, “Ulat sa Kalagayan ng mga Manggagawa sa Ika-apat na Taon ng Administrasyong Marcos Jr.,” presents a critical assessment of the conditions faced by Filipino workers after four years under the current administration. Despite claims of economic growth and progress under the banner of a “Bagong Pilipinas,” workers continue to face rising prices, inadequate wages, limited access to stable and decent work, and continuing violations of labor and human rights.

The issue examines the insufficiency of recent wage increases, continuing attacks against workers and unionists, and the lack of justice and accountability for human rights violations. It also situates these concerns within the broader challenges of corruption, mounting public debt, and deepening political crisis, while emphasizing the continuing fight for workers’ rights, welfare, and dignity.

📥 View and share this issue! Read the full copy here:
bit.ly/CTUHRMonitor0726

| DHL fabricates contract end to bust union, 473 Muntinlupa workers on strikeThe Center for Trade Union and Human Righ...
26/08/2026

| DHL fabricates contract end to bust union, 473 Muntinlupa workers on strike

The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) condemns today logistics giant DHL Supply Chain’s threat to terminate 473 warehouse workers in Muntinlupa under the guise of redundancy. Likewise, CTUHR expresses its support for the workers' ongoing strike against the management. CTUHR calls the DHL’s action a blatant act of union-busting and a clear attempt to evade collective bargaining agreement.

CTUHR warns that DHL’s planned shutdown at its Sucat, Muntinlupa warehouse targets the bargaining unit of the DHL United Workers Union (DUWU). This shows how corporate employers continue to use questionable redundancy schemes to weaken and dismantle legitimate worker organizations.

“We are very alarmed that DHL declared a sudden shutdown to evade bargaining with its newly certified workers’ union. The threat of redundancy and refusal to negotiate are unacceptable. We call on DHL management to stop using fabricated excuses, end its union busting efforts, and respect the fundamental rights of its workers,” Kamz Deligente, CTUHR executive director.

The dispute escalated on July 21, 2026, during the first conciliation conference before the National Conciliation and Mediation Board. The management distributed redundancy letters with pre-computed severance packages to the 473 workers, warning them of termination on August 31.

“The threat of terminating these 473 workers shows DHL’s disregard for workers’ right to freedom of association. What DHL should do is bargain in good faith and stop threatening workers with retrenchment,” Deligente added.

Napoleon Arumin, the 59-year old union president who led the DUWU to a landmark certification victory, is currently leading the fight against the impending termination and union busting efforts of the management. DUWU points out that the DHL’s claim of contract expiration with Robinsons Supermarket is completely fabricated.

“The workers’ rejection of this fabricated excuse of contract expiration sends a clear message to DHL management: union busting will not be tolerated and workers will not be silenced through threats of mass termination. The practice of suddenly claiming that a facility is closing or that contracts have expired whenever workers form a union is an old union-busting tactic that must end. The company cannot continue to ignore the collective bargaining proposals of its employees, who have suffered from persistent wage distortion since 2018,” Deligente added.

CTUHR underscores that DHL is a signatory to a Global Framework Agreement with the International Transport Workers Federation and UNI Global Union. Under this agreement, the multinational company commits to respecting freedom of association, collective bargaining, and constructive labor relations across its global operations.

“DHL’s local management is violating workers’ right to organize and their right to security of tenure guaranteed under the 1987 Philippine Constitution and the Labor Code. CTUHR stands in solidarity with DHL workers and calls on Marcos Jr. administration and the Labor and Employment Secretary Francis N. Tolentino to do the necessary interventions to uphold workers’ rights,” Deligente concluded.

25/08/2026

🚨 OOPS, OPS, OPS OPS! MASAMA BA MAG-UNYON?! 👀✊

Oh, C’mon! Panoorin ang Myth or Fact video na ito at alamin kung ano nga ba ang tama at maling paniniwala tungkol sa pag-oorganisa at pag-u-unyon!

At yes, WE’RE SO BACK. 😌✊
Abangan ang pagbabalik ng Series!

| Kyle Enero dismissal attacks BPO workers’ right to organizeA labor NGO expressed grave concern today over the termin...
18/08/2026

| Kyle Enero dismissal attacks BPO workers’ right to organize

A labor NGO expressed grave concern today over the termination of John Kyle Enero, a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) worker-organizer in Cebu, calling it a clear act of retaliation and a blatant attack on the fundamental right of workers to organize.

The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) said Enero’s termination by Azpired Inc. on August 11, 2026, came after a pattern of harassment and heightened scrutiny that intensified following Enero’s involvement in advocating for workers’ rights as a member and spokesperson of the BPO Industry Employees Network-Cebu (BIEN Cebu).

“The termination of Kyle Enero is a textbook case of how corporations use vague allegations and administrative procedures to silence labor leaders. They want to instill a culture of fear to stop BPO workers from demanding their basic rights to safety and fair wages,” said Kamz Deligente, CTUHR executive director.

Kyle Enero had worked in the BPO industry for three years and was a Customer Service Representative at Azpired Inc. before being accused of "unauthorized disclosure" related to facilitating system access for a former employee. He consistently denied these claims, noting that the company failed to provide specific evidence or even a clear explanation of the alleged violation, depriving him of his right to due process.

CTUHR highlighted that the harassment began as early as October 2025, after Enero served as an employee representative during Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) inspections following a 6.9-magnitude earthquake in Cebu.

He played an instrumental leadership role during this crisis, exposing BPO firms that forced employees to work despite grave safety risks. His brave defense of workers’ safety established him as a key leader, but it also made him a target.

Management reportedly warned him to “tread carefully” immediately after BIEN filed formal complaints regarding the OSH violations issue.

“Terminating a leader for organizing is a threat to every worker in the sector. It warns them that defending their rights could lead to losing their jobs,” Deligente added.

Management’s actions reached a fever pitch just as Kyle Enero and his colleagues were intensifying their campaign for a ₱1,200 regional minimum wage increase and better working conditions. It is no coincidence that a worker who consistently advocated for the rights of others was suddenly targeted for termination based on vague assertions.

CTUHR further criticized the company's attempt to offer a settlement agreement that included a social media prohibition, which would have prevented Enero from speaking publicly about his termination. CTUHR argued that such gag orders are used to hide labor rights violations from public scrutiny.

“We stand in solidarity with Kyle Enero and the BPO workers of Cebu. We call on the Department of Labor and Employment to move beyond its habitual indifference and conduct a thorough investigation into this clear case of retaliatory dismissal and FOA violation. We call on the Marcos Jr. administration to stop being servile to foreign investors and instead uphold the constitutional rights of workers to organize without fear of retaliation,” Deligente ended.

CTUHR called for Enero’s immediate reinstatement, an end to the harassment of BPO workers and union organizers, and the full protection of workers’ rights to organize and speak out.

15/08/2026

PRESS RELEASE
August 15, 2026

BIEN-CEBU CONDEMNS ILLEGAL DISMISSAL OF WORKER-ORGANIZER KYLE ENERO

The BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN)-Cebu strongly condemns the termination of its President, Kyle Enero, by his employer, Azpired, following a series of disciplinary actions that he consistently challenged as baseless, retaliatory, and lacking in due process.

The termination comes after a 12-day suspension, which BIEN-Cebu has maintained was illegal and part of a broader pattern of disciplinary measures directed against Enero.

Throughout his employment at Azpired, Enero documented what he described as workplace harassment, repeated disciplinary notices issued without sufficient evidence, and heightened scrutiny of his activities as a worker-organizer. These actions, BIEN-Cebu asserts, intensified following his affiliation with the organization.

BIEN-Cebu is particularly concerned that the escalation of disciplinary actions coincided with the organization's intensified campaign for a substantial wage increase in Cebu and Central Visayas, including its ₱1,200 minimum wage proposal, worker consultations, and engagement with government officials and the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board VII (RTWPB-VII).

For BIEN-Cebu, the timing of these actions raises serious concerns of retaliation against a worker who has been actively organizing and advocating for better wages and working conditions.

The dismissal of a worker who exercises his right to organize and raise legitimate labor concerns sends a chilling message to employees across the industry:

Speak up about your rights, and you risk losing your livelihood.

This is not merely about one worker. It is about the fundamental rights of all workers to freedom of association, to organize, to raise workplace concerns, and to receive due process and protection from retaliation.

BIEN-Cebu stands firmly with Kyle Enero. We will not be intimidated, silenced, or forced into retreat by the dismissal of our President.

BIEN-Cebu, together with Enero, will pursue appropriate legal and other remedies to challenge the dismissal and seek accountability for what we consider a grave injustice and violation of constitutionally protected workers' rights.

We call on BPO workers across Cebu and the country to remain vigilant and continue organizing for better working conditions, decent wages, job security, and respect for workers' rights.

REINSTATE KYLE ENERO!
DEFEND WORKERS' RIGHT TO ORGANIZE!
WAGE INCREASE NOW!
DEFEND WORKERS' RIGHTS!

For reference:

KYLE ENERO
President, BIEN-Cebu
Vice-President for Visayas, BIEN
[email protected]

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