The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) joined tripartite stakeholders in witnessing the official launch of the updated National Green Jobs Human Resource Development Plan 2020-2030 last 08 July 2025, hosted by the Institute for Labor Studies (ILS) in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO) at Marco Polo Ortigas Manila Hotel, Pasig City.
Undersecretary Carmela I. Torres, in her capacity as the Chairperson of the DOLE-TWG on Green Jobs, presented the salient features, partnerships, and implementation strategy of the Plan. She highlighted the Plan’s core message: the green economy transition benefits all and must leave no one behind. The National Green Jobs HRD Plan reflects a commitment to developing and protecting human capital through expanded access to social protection, rights-based frameworks, and employment-centered transition strategies.
The final Plan outlines an enhanced five-point strategy:
- Green jobs-ready and skilled labor force
- Adequate and accessible green jobs labor market
- Implementing shared green jobs and just transition governance
- Building a capacitated green jobs and just transition stakeholder base
- Ensuring inclusive social protection and just transition of the labor force
Mr. Khalid Hassan, ILO Country Director, described the Plan as a future-oriented framework already aligned with global efforts such as the UN Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection. He noted that green transitions are no longer a distant trend but a present-day reality shaping labor markets.
ECOP was represented by Governor Ms. Clarine P. Tobias and she reaffirmed in her message of support that “sustainability is not just a moral obligation—it is a business imperative.” She emphasized the synergy between ECOP’s ESG initiatives and the National Green Jobs HRD Plan in accelerating the transition and expressed ECOP’s readiness to lead as a representative and partner. She also reiterated the Confederation’s earlier initiative with the Federation of Free Workers on the Bipartite Declaration on Just Transition—a joint commitment between employers and workers to support a fair, inclusive, and socially responsible transition to a green economy.
The event’s highlight was the Ceremonial Launch of the National Green Jobs Human Resource Development Plan and Signing of the Green Jobs Pledge, marking a unified commitment from government, employers, and workers to uphold the goals of the Plan and ensure a green, inclusive, and equitable future of work.
Prior to the official launch, ECOP also participated in the National Green Jobs Human Resource Development (HRD) Plan Roundtable Discussion and Partnership Session conducted 26 June 2025, at the same venue.
The session is part of a series of multi-stakeholder consultations that are generally geared toward securing commitment in the implementation of the NGJ HRD Plan. Specifically, it aimed to ensure active engagement and commitment from key tripartite stakeholders to implement and track progress under each strategic goal; map concrete collaboration points to accelerate green jobs initiatives; possibly identify and commit resources (financial, technical, and human) necessary for effective and efficient NGJ HRD Plan implementation across priority sectors; and strengthen tripartite mechanisms and stakeholder capacity for green jobs and just transition.
ECOP took part in the discussions under Goal 3: Implementing Shared Green Jobs and Just Transition Governance, where they shared its ongoing initiatives on advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) integration in enterprises, along with its commitments and action agenda under the Bipartite Declaration of Just Transition. Insights gathered from this session were incorporated into the final version of the Plan.
Both events was also attended and participated on by members of the ECOP Secretariat: Head of Policy and Research Ms. Marianne Faith Rosas, Advocacy Associate Ms. Sophia Gelig, and Program Associate Ms. Rose Vannette Quiras.