By Komfie Manalo
The Marcos administration is collaborating with all stakeholders, including the public and private sectors, in a whole-of-nation approach to creating three million quality jobs by 2028.
Speaking at the first-ever 2024 National Employment Summit in Manila, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said his government is working double time to address job-skills mismatch, underemployment, and unemployment through the reforms in the basic education curriculum, the embedding of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the Senior High School curriculum, and the implementation of employment facilitation initiatives.
“In line with our priorities, the outcomes that we desire, and strategies stated in the Philippine Development Plan, the Philippine Labor and Employment Plan, the Strategic Investment Priority Plan, and the Workforce Development Plan, the Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) Plan will be one of the driving forces to help create at least three million new jobs by the year 2028,” Marcos said.
The TPB is a 10-year roadmap that will serve as the national guide towards more significant employment generation and recovery.
“Beyond generating employment, we want to create quality jobs, with special emphasis on ensuring workers’ welfare, empowerment, competitiveness, and security in all sectors of our labor sector.”
The President said the summit is the perfect time for key players—from workers to employers, government, other partners, and private sector partners—to harness the spirit of Bayanihan as the country meets the emerging needs in the local, national, regional, and international labor markets.
“We have exciting times that lie ahead. We look forward to the new jobs, sectors, and opportunities waiting for us and the Philippines,” he said.
He urged the stakeholders to execute a TPB Plan to reach the workers’ fullest potential as active participants in nation-building.
“So let us lay the groundwork to ensure that the next decade will be meaningful employment and economic growth,” he said.