The Marcos administration is ramping up workforce development efforts, expanding skills training, job matching, and wage initiatives as it seeks to improve employment quality and prepare Filipino workers for the changing demands of the economy.
Speaking at a Palace briefing on Thursday, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), led by Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino, to strengthen programs that equip workers with in-demand skills while advancing measures to improve wages.
The directive reflects the administration’s broader strategy of creating not just more jobs, but better-paying and higher-quality employment opportunities aligned with the needs of emerging industries.
Among the government’s flagship programs is the expansion of DOLE’s nationwide Trabaho Agad job fairs, which connect job seekers with hundreds of local and overseas employers through simultaneous hiring events across the country. The initiative also shortens the hiring process by offering one-stop access to employment requirements, including clearances and registrations with the National Bureau of Investigation, Social Security System, PhilHealth, and the Pag-IBIG Fund.
The labor department is also strengthening its Labor Education for Graduating Students program to better prepare college and vocational graduates for the workplace before they enter the job market.
At the same time, DOLE is expanding collaboration with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to provide more technical, digital, and reskilling programs designed to meet evolving industry requirements. Beneficiaries of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program are likewise being offered entrepreneurship training to help create sustainable sources of income beyond temporary employment.
The government’s renewed focus on workforce development comes as employers increasingly prioritize specialized and technology-driven skills, making continuous learning a key factor in improving employability.
According to the Palace, investing in future-ready talent is essential to strengthening the competitiveness of the Philippine labor force and ensuring workers can access better opportunities in a rapidly evolving economy.
By combining skills development with employment facilitation and wage initiatives, the administration is betting that higher productivity and a better-trained workforce will translate into stronger incomes and more inclusive economic growth.
