Manila - The Philippine government is gearing up to create three million jobs by 2028 as it laid out the comprehensive agenda for the 10-Year Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) Master Plan during the National Employment Summit (NES) last June 26 to 27, 2024 at the Manila Hotel.
Under the theme “Trabaho Para sa Bayan: Maunlad na Negosyo at Dekalidad na Trabaho, Daan sa Bagong Pilipinas,” the two-day event convened government agencies, labor groups, and other stakeholders to discuss strategies for implementing the TPB Act, which President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. signed into law last September 2023.
President Marcos Jr. delivered the keynote address upon the ceremonial signing of the Employment Covenant, emphasizing the Act's role in stimulating economic growth, enhancing worker employability, and generating quality jobs through strategic collaboration and targeted upskilling programs. “[It] is a document that will serve as another crucial input to the 10-year Trabaho Para sa Bayan Plan. Altogether, the Covenant and the TPB Plan will ensure the interagency and multipartite approach to achieving our objectives for productive, remunerative, and decent employment generation,” President Marcos Jr. said.
In his speech, President Marcos Jr. announced that at least three million jobs will be generated by 2028 through the TPB Plan, which will guide the country toward greater employment generation and recovery.
The Trabaho Para sa Bayan Inter-Agency Council is chaired by National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, and co-chaired by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Alfredo Pascual spearheaded the discussions on aligning employment generation strategies with the national development plans.
The Institute for Labor Studies (ILS) team, represented by Deputy Executive Director Atty. Mary Grace L. Riguer-Teodosio, Athena Mari E. Son, Loren Art S. Cayabyab, Joe Mari S. Francisco, and Marcos S. Ursua led the documentation committee as part of the event’s technical secretariat.
Organized by DOLE and in partnership with NEDA, DTI, and the International Labour Organization, the summit builds on momentum from Regional Pre-Summit Consultations held earlier this year in Bohol, Davao, Tagaytay, and Quezon City, where the ILS team also provided technical support.
President Marcos, who signed Republic Act No. 11962, or the TPB Act, in September 2023, also received a TPB report containing the result of multi-sectoral consultations held before the summit in relation to the formulation of the TPB Plan.
The TPB has four strategic priorities: alignment of education/training programs with industry requirements; expansion of employability programs; reduction of regulatory burdens on micro, small, and medium enterprises; and the strengthening of social protection mechanisms.
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