PBBM: ‘Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act,’ a significant milestone towards sustainable, inclusive PH dev’t – Presidential Communications Office

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed into law on Wednesday the “Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act,” which seeks to address various labor challenges in the country, leading toward a sustainable and inclusive development of the “New Philippines.”

In his speech during the ceremonial signing of Republic Act (RA) 11962, President Marcos thanked Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez for the timely passage of the bill, which is a priority legislative measure of the administration.

The law will focus on improving the employability and competitiveness of Filipino workers through upskilling and reskilling initiatives; and, support for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and industry stakeholders.

Based on available records, the Philippine labor sector faces various challenges such as low-quality jobs, skills mismatch, under-utilization of the youth, low expenditure and coverage of social protection for workers, and the need to update skills and use digital technologies, particularly in MSMEs.

“The law will help us solve the various challenges plaguing our labor sector, such as low-quality jobs, skills mismatch, and underemployment, among others,” President Marcos said in his speech during the ceremonial signing of the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act at the Malacañang Palace.

“It likewise addresses the need to update the skills of our workers and promote the use of digital technologies, particularly for our micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises or MSMEs,” the chief executive added.

Present during the ceremonial signing of RA 11962 were Senate President Zubiri, Speaker Romualdez, Senators Imee Marcos and Joel Villanueva along with other members of the Cabinet.

The Trabaho Para sa Bayan Inter-Agency Council (TPB-IAC), led by National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Director General, will craft a master plan for employment generation and recovery.

It will be co-chaired by the secretaries of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) with representatives from other agencies and various sectors.

TPB-IAC will also conduct a comprehensive analysis of the employment status and