Skills upgrading drives new employment law in the Philippines

To address challenges such as low-quality jobs, skills mismatch and underemployment, Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed the “Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act”, which will serve as the long-term employment generation and recovery master plan for the Philippines.

Marcos said, “[The new law] 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.”

A Trabaho Para sa Bayan Inter-Agency Council will be formed to develop success measures, key performance indicators and action components. The council will also be tasked with providing support for MSMEs, enhancing the skills of the workforce, incentivising employers and private sector organisations, and ensuring a favourable business environment.

It will be chaired by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) secretary and co-chaired by the secretaries of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE), with representatives from other agencies and from various sectors.

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Marcos also pledged to incentivise employers, industry stakeholders and private partners who continue to facilitate skills development, technology transfer and knowledge sharing.

“To our businesses, especially our MSMEs, we will continue to provide support and other incentives such as increased access to financing and capital to promote self-reliance and spur employment generation,” he added.