Philippines launches 10-year labour market plan for decent work

MANILA (ILO News) - The Philippines has launched its pivotal 10-year Trabaho Para sa Bayan 2025-34 (Jobs for the Nation) first labour market plan, aimed at promoting decent work, advancing business opportunities and creating a robust framework for sustainable and equitable growth. The International Labour Organization (ILO) supported this initiative by providing technical assistance and resources for regional consultations and reviewing the plan.

"We are putting decent work at the very heart of our socio-economic policies. This will go beyond the six-year development agenda of the current administration. This will ensure that job creation is a priority, not just today but for generations to come. More than just aspirational, this plan has mechanisms to align national agencies and local governments toward decent work as a central pillar of our socio-economic strategy," said Senator Joel Villanueva at the launch of the plan.

Senator Villanueva highlighted the plan's potential to shape a future where people have access to safe, decent and secure jobs with living wage. Signed into law as Republic Act No. 11962, the plan reflects the country's commitment to address employment challenges and foster labour market development.

Anchored on the aspirations of AmBisyon Natin 2040, which is a long-term vision for the Philippines to guide the country's development planning until 2040, the plan also responds to a labour market landscape shaped by rapid digitalization, geopolitical tensions, climate change, and demographic shifts.

"These evolving trends underscore the urgent need for adaptive policies that foster economic growth and offer essential support to Filipino workers as they navigate these evolving challenges. With our collective effort, we will create an inclusive, efficient, and dynamic labour market environment where Filipinos can access meaningful, quality jobs," said Secretary Arsenio Balisacan of the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev).

The plan aligns with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-28 and the Philippine Labor and Employment Plan 2023-28, serving as the Decent Work Country Programme. It is the result of extensive consultations and social dialogue through a multi-stakeholder and whole-of-society approach, involving representatives from the government, workers, employers, informal economy, marginalized and vulnerable groups, women, youth, education and training institutions, and development partners. They have collectively defined in the plan the future they want and do not want, as well as imagine the future of work.

"The Trabaho Para Sa Bayan Plan lays out comprehensive strategies to tackle key challenges in our labour market-from skills mismatch and youth unemployment to job security, digital and technological disruptions, labour migration and Overseas Filipino Workers' reintegration, and all these while ensuring that our workforce remains resilient and ready for the future of work," stated Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma of the Department of Labor and Employment. "Together, let us promote decent and safe work through strong unity and cooperation of workers, businesses, and government for a just and prosperous future.

The launch held on 5 May 2025 in Manila also featured a session with development partners focused on ensuring decent work, just transitions, and inclusive development in the Philippines amidst a rapidly changing workplace. Khalid Hassan, Director of the ILO Country Office for the Philippines, recognized the Philippines for joining global initiatives to accelerate job creation and social protection, and its commitment to social justice. He was joined by representatives from the Asian Development Bank, the Australian Embassy in the Philippines, and the World Bank.

"We must ensure inclusivity and amplify the voices of informal economy workers. Without social dialogue, we will face significant challenges. We are confronting multiple, interconnected crises and deep-seated inequalities in societies, conflicts, and growing uncertainties. All the gains are at risk," Director Hassan emphasized. "The status quo is unsustainable. We must move forward and achieve social justice to meet these challenges."