Philippines Scales Up TVET, Micro-Credentials to Meet Growing Workforce Demands

PHILIPPINES. Manila Standard (01 May 2026) - President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Friday marked the country’s 124th Labor Day with a slate of employment programs, wage increases and fuel-related relief measures, citing rising living costs and global instability affecting Filipino workers.

Speaking at the Labor Day celebration in General Santos City, President Marcos said the government is accelerating investments and job generation while expanding assistance to workers hit by higher prices of fuel, electricity and basic goods.

“Dama po namin ang hirap na pinagdadaanan ng ating mga manggagawa (We feel the hardships that our workers are going through),” Mr. Marcos said, noting recent increases in oil and commodity prices.

“Ngunit, hindi po kami tumitigil sa paghahanap ng mga paraan upang dumami pa ang trabaho (But we have not stopped looking for ways to increase the number of jobs),” he added.

President Marcos said nearly P2 trillion in investments were approved last year, expected to generate about 150,000 jobs.

He added that more than 6,600 job fairs have been conducted nationwide since July 2022, assisting over 1.5 million job seekers, with more than 250,000 hired on the spot.

For this year’s Labor Day, President Marcos said over 150,000 job vacancies are available through job fairs in 94 locations nationwide running through May.

Government data showed employment reached nearly 50 million in February, with more than 30 million classified as wage and salary workers, the president said.

The administration has also expanded technical and vocational training, with over 5 million students completing programs under Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and more than 500 micro-credential courses now offered.

To address wages, the chief executive said regional wage boards have issued 89 wage orders from June 2023 to April 2026, including increases taking effect Friday in Northern Mindanao and Caraga, where daily minimum wages rose to 500 pesos and 475 pesos, respectively.

The president also outlined fuel and transport relief measures, including a suspension of excise taxes on liquefied petroleum gas and kerosene since April 17, and a 10-peso-per-liter diesel discount at select gas stations.

Additional support includes fare discounts, free rides, fuel subsidies for drivers and operators, and discounted tolls and port fees for food transport to mitigate the pass-through of fuel costs to consumer prices.

President Marcos said the government is also monitoring food supply and prices to prevent profiteering, adding that current petroleum reserves are sufficient for 54 days.

He cited assistance for overseas Filipino workers affected by tensions in the Middle East, including repatriation, financial aid and temporary shelter provided by the Department of Migrant Workers and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

State-run pension agencies have rolled out relief programs, including loan penalty condonation by the Social Security System and restructuring options for employers, as well as a “Balik Ginhawa” program by the Government Service Insurance System.

President Marcos also highlighted expanded health benefits, including enhanced maternity coverage under PhilHealth.

This article is for educational purposes only. All credit and rights of this report remain with the original copyright holders such as owners, authors, and publishers of the material. More information on this can be found on our Additional Disclaimers page.