The “Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act” is now a law thanks to PBBM’s signature

SF | The “Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act” is now a law thanks to PBBM’s signature | MANILA – The “Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act” (Jobs for the Nation Act) was signed into law by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday. He has also told agencies to speed up the release of the law’s Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).

While the law was being signed at Malacanang, the President said it was “a significant milestone toward the sustainable and inclusive development of our country.”

He said it would help with problems like bad jobs, a lack of workers with the right skills, and not having enough workers. It would also help with “the need to update the skills of our workers and promote the use of digital technologies, especially for our MSMEs (micro, small, and medium-sized businesses).”

“I tell the Council and all the relevant government agencies to speed up the release of the IRR of the law so that our workers and other stakeholders can start using it right away,” he said.

Marcos said that the law allows for the formation of the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Interagency Council, which “will make a master plan for creating jobs and getting back on your feet.”

The Director General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) will lead the Council. The heads of the Departments of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Labor and Employment (DOLE) will run the Council with the Director General.

Marcos asked the Council and other government departments and local government units (LGUs) to work together “to make sure the plan is effectively integrated into their policies and programs.”

In a statement, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said that the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Inter-Agency Council (TPB-IAC) will also do a “comprehensive analysis of the employment status and labor market in the country and will ensure the effective use of resources, harmonizing and complementing all government efforts.”

Additionally, Marcos asked the heads of DOLE and NEDA to “harmonize the labor and employment plan 2023–2028 and the Trabaho Para sa Bayan plan to make sure that all government efforts and resources will be managed effectively and efficiently.”

He said, “To our businesses, especially our MSMEs, we will continue to offer support and other incentives, such as easier access to financing and capital, to encourage them to become self-sufficient and create jobs.”

The president said that the law will give employers and other stakeholders incentives that will help workers improve their skills and support the sharing of technology and information.

“I’m sure that if we all work together, we will not only reach the goals of this law but also make our vision of Bagong Pilipinas come true,” he said.

Promise to make progress

Speaker of the House of Representatives Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said that the passing of the “Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act” shows that the Marcos government was always committed to the welfare and well-being of Filipinos.

“By signing this law into effect, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has shown that he cares about the well-being of all Filipinos, no matter where they come from or what their situation is,” Romualdez said. He and Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri were among the lawmakers who saw the new law being signed.

“The Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act shows that our government is dedicated to fairness, progress, and including everyone in the Philippines.” “It shows how the President sees things: a strong economy and plenty of jobs are the only ways to build a prosperous and thriving country,” he said.

With three, six, and ten-year time frames, RA 11962 calls for a plan to create jobs to help the return from the pandemic.

It would be the state’s big plan for creating jobs and getting back on its feet so that short- and long-term goals and dreams for the country can be reached.

Romualdez said that the new law’s multifaceted approach to creating jobs would make sure that our country’s rebuilding efforts are strong and long-lasting. He also promised that the House would support the law’s proper implementation.

He asked everyone with a stake in the matter to work together to make the goal in the TBP Act come true.

“Together, we can make our dream of a country come true—one with lots of job opportunities, safe families, and the strong and determined Filipino spirit shining brighter than ever.” Romualdez said, “The Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act is a sign of hope and progress, and it is now our collective duty to make this vision come true.”

The law says that the job development plan should offer incentives to encourage investment in order to deal with unemployment, underemployment, and the growing number of jobs that are not formalized. It also wants to help micro, small, and medium-sized businesses and give people better job prospects by teaching them new skills.

So that this goal is met, the plan should also include reasons to provide training, technology, knowledge sharing, upskilling, reskilling, and business-based training programs like internships, work experience, and training on the job.

It also wants to find priority sectors and key emerging industries that have a lot of job opportunities and a good chance of drawing direct investment.

It also asks for a national program to help both legal and illegal Filipinos who work abroad get back into society.

Important step

There was also support for the new rule from a labor group, which called it a big step toward reducing unemployment, underemployment, and youth unemployment in the country.

“This is the right way to do it (it’s a step in the right direction)” “We believe that meaningful work opportunities are not only a must, but also a basic right,” said Jun Ramirez, national vice president of the Federation of Free Workers (FFW).

“The TPB Act is a good step toward making this right a reality for everyone,” he said.

Ramirez also said that the TPB Act’s promise to make a national masterplan to deal with these important problems fits with FFW’s goal to give Filipino workers more power and better job opportunities.

“However, while we celebrate this milestone, we must also recognize that a crucial element of fostering gainful employment and a thriving workforce lies in education, particularly in higher education provided by State Universities and Colleges (SUCs),” he stated.

He talked about how SUCs and vocational, technical, and engineering schools have shaped the future of the Philippine work force and are essential for getting people ready for the tasks of the fourth industrial revolution.

“We urge Congress to recognize the indispensable role of SUCs in preparing our citizens for the challenges and opportunities of the digital age and to allocate the necessary resources to support their mission,” said Ramirez. (With a report from Jose Cielito Reganit and Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)