Marcos inks Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act

In a bid to generate more jobs in the country, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday signed the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act.

The said law aims to direct the formulation of a master plan to ensure employment generation and recovery.

The comprehensive plan will also focus on improving the employability and competitiveness of Filipino workers through upskilling and reskilling initiatives. 

In his speech, Marcos said the law would help in solving the various challenges plaguing the labor sector such as low quality jobs, skills mismatch and underemployment, among others.

“Under this law, we will also incentivize employers, industry stakeholders, and private partners who will facilitate skills development, technology transfer and knowledge sharing amongst our businesses and our workers,” Marcos said.

“With this concerted effort, I am confident that we will not only achieve the goals of this law but we will also realize our vision of Bagong Pilipinas," he added.

It will also provide support for micro, small, and medium enterprises as well as to industry stakeholders. 

Marcos said the new law would lay the foundation for the Trabaho Para Sa Bayan Inter-Agency Council, which will craft the master plan for job generation.

He said the Council would be chaired by the Director General of the National Economic Development Authority and co-chaired by the Secretaries of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Labor and Employment, with representatives from other agencies and from various sectors.

“I, therefore, direct the Council and all concerned government agencies to fast-track the issuance of the implementing rules and regulations of the law so that our workers and stakeholders can immediately benefit from it,” Marcos said. 

Challenges in the labor market

For its part, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said the TPB law is seen to address unemployment, underemployment, youth unemployment, the increasing precarity and informality of working arrangements, the reintegration of Overseas Filipino Workers, as well as other challenges in the labor market.

The council will also assist local government units in planning, devising, and implementing employment generation and recovery plans and programs within their respective localities, ensuring they are aligned with the TBP Plan, according to the NEDA.

“We support the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act as it contributes to the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, which aims to increase employability, expand access to employment opportunities, and achieve shared labor market governance,” said NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan. 

“With the passage of the TPB, this will facilitate stronger coordination and partnership among relevant agencies and stakeholders for the efficient implementation of employment programs,” added Balisacan. 

The socioeconomic planning agency said the TPB Plan shall serve as the State's master plan for employment generation and recovery.

The comprehensive plan will also focus on improving the employability and competitiveness of Filipino workers through upskilling and reskilling initiatives, according to the NEDA.

It will also provide support for micro, small, and medium enterprises and industry stakeholders, it said. — with a report from Ted Cordero/RSJ, GMA Integrated News