6 or non-compliance, as many firms face the pressure to cut back on expenses as they are still recovering the profits lost. This report intends to contribute to the daunting task of ensuring labor standards compliance in the time of COVID-19 by providing a situation report on sweatshop workers in the country during the height of the pandemic (March to June 2020). This report covers the onset of the pandemic because this time period exposed many structural limitations that must be addressed if the country is to weather future emergency events. Attention will be given to sweatshop labor precisely because of the inherent vulnerability faced by workers in these forms of employment. The scope of the discussion shall focus mainly on the situation of sweatshop laborers in relation to existing national and international labor standards. To this end, this is not only about a matter of compliance but ensuring the social good and dignified lives for all Filipinos—especially those historically marginalized in society. To this end, the monitoring report : 1. Paints the picture of working conditions in sweatshops through the documented experiences of workers, particularly in the context of the present COVID-19 pandemic 2. Identifies the policy and implementation gaps that lead to: a. The persistence of poor labor standards in the manufacturing industry; and b. The violation of the right of workers to enjoy safe and healthy working conditions. 3. Identifies policy and implementation gaps in labor standard laws, policies, as well as occupational safety and health (OSH) standards inspections 4. Recommends policy measures and programs to protect sweatshop workers' rights. Legal Framework The Philippine government has the moral and political responsibility to ensure that the rights of all Filipino workers are respected—regardless of sector or occupation. In building a collectively secure future, the State does not have to choose between economic progress and rights protection. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us