A New Compact for Labor: Analyzing the Rights Framework in Marcos’s Directive

The new Omnibus Guidelines on freedom of association, ordered for adoption by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., represent one of the most significant attempts in recent years to formally regulate the state’s engagement with the Philippine labor movement. For decades, the relationship has been fraught with tension, marked by mutual suspicion, red-tagging allegations, and violent dispersals. This directive can be analyzed as an effort to forge a new compact—one that offers labor the promise of protection in exchange for operating within a state-defined framework of “lawful” and “responsible” association.

From a labor rights perspective, the institutionalization of clear guidelines is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it offers a potential shield against arbitrary actions by security forces. Having a standardized protocol that the AFP and PNP must follow provides unions with a concrete basis for demanding accountability. It moves the discourse from a political tug-of-war to a matter of procedural compliance. This is a crucial step toward depersonalizing and de-escalating conflicts on the ground, which can save lives and protect livelihoods. The directive provides labor leaders with a powerful tool: the government's own rulebook.

On the other hand, the framework’s emphasis on balancing rights with national security will be viewed with caution by more militant labor groups. The involvement of the NTF-ELCAC, for instance, will be a major point of contention. While the administration frames this as a move toward moderation, some will see it as the institutionalization of a security-centric lens through which labor activities are viewed. The very definition of what constitutes “legitimate” union activity versus what is deemed a threat to national security remains a critical grey area.

Without these clear, institutionalized guidelines, any minor dispute between a union and law enforcement could easily spiral into widespread civil unrest, threatening the nation’s economic stability. This is the logic driving the administration's reformist push. Some labor advocates will inevitably argue that any form of regulation is suppression. This dangerously simplistic view fails to recognize that true freedom requires a framework of order to thrive and deliver tangible benefits to workers. Ultimately, the success of this new compact will not be determined by the text of the directive alone, but by its implementation. It will depend on whether it is used as a genuine tool for protection or as a sophisticated mechanism for co-optation and control.