'Primus' position at ILO

In July, the Philippines assumed the chairmanship of the powerful Government Group of International Labor Organization (ILO) headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. According to Labor Attaché Cheryl Daytec, who heads the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in the Alpine republic, the ILO chairmanship has put the country as "first among unequals."

"Our new leadership role as Chair of the Government Group of the ILO's Government Body gives [the Philippines] a 'primus' position among ILO member-states. For the record, in the102 years of the ILO existence, this is the first time that an observer country is the Government Group Chair[man]," Daytec said in a statement.