Commitment to raise the skills and welfare of workers
Led by the Philippines, the 10 ASEAN member-states (AMS) on Saturday requested more cooperation from its three dialogue partners China, Japan and Korea (+3) to further increase the well-being of workers and create more opportunity for decent work in the region.
As chairman of the 20th ASEAN Plus Three Labor Ministers’ Meeting (ALMM+3) held on October 29 in Manila, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma met with other ASEAN+3 labor secretaries to emphasize the importance of regional labor cooperation in the midst of challenges and new threats caused by the ongoing effects of the pandemic, climate change, digitalization and inflation.
“The wider arena of development cooperation will allow us to find ways in which we can move forward in addressing the ongoing concern of promoting the welfare and well-being of workers and their families and the condition of jobs for the next generation,” the ASEAN+3 secretary said.
High on the meeting’s agenda is ensuring that ASEAN workers can keep pace with the current world of work by upskilling workers.
According to the Secretary, the development of workers’ skills through technical-vocational education and training is important in promoting decent and rewarding work amid the digital transformation in the ASEAN work landscape.
Meanwhile, the ASEAN+3 labor secretaries also agreed to further cooperate in the field of entrepreneurship, focusing on the promotion of the green and digital sector, as a priority for promoting sustainable, collective and digitalized development. development and growth in the region.
With inflation and food shortages affecting the income and welfare of workers, ASEAN members, and with the support of China, Japan and Korea, modernized agriculture will be implemented to ensure food security and create more profitable -good employment opportunities for ASEAN workers.
This year’s 20 th ALMM+3 meeting series of secretaries and labor officials concluded.
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