Abstract:
Labor contractualization persists as a major labor rights issue in the Philippines,
reinforced by systemic elitism. This study investigates how elite actors obstruct labor
reforms, specifically targeting the Anti-Contractualization Bill. Using qualitative methods,
including key informant interviews and focus group discussions, the study examines the
influence of political and business elites in shaping labor policies. The findings reveal that
elitism plays a foundational and strategic role in shaping and sustaining labor
contractualization in the Philippines, with elites—particularly business owners and political
dynasties—deliberately designing the system to suppress unionization, maximize profits, and
maintain control, leveraging their entrenched power across legislative, executive, and judicial
institutions, as well as through informal networks of patronage and political debt. The study
concludes that elitism is not merely a background factor but a structural force that
institutionalizes labor precarity and blocks pro-worker reforms.
