Metro Manila, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government is stepping up efforts to create more jobs as workers grapple with rising prices of fuel, electricity and basic goods.
Speaking at the Labor Day celebration in General Santos City, Marcos said the administration is trying to ease the impact of higher costs while expanding employment opportunities.
“We are not stopping in finding ways to create more jobs and opportunities,” he said.
He pointed to nearly P2 trillion in approved investments last year, which are expected to generate about 150,000 jobs.
The government has also continued holding job fairs nationwide, with more than 250,000 applicants hired on the spot since 2022, according to official data.
More than 150,000 vacancies are being offered in Labor Day job fairs across 94 locations, he added.
Still, Marcos acknowledged the strain on workers from rising fuel and power costs, saying the government has rolled out subsidies and discounts for transport workers and suspended excise taxes on some fuel products.
Employment reached nearly 50 million in February, he said, while wage and salary workers exceeded 30 million; 89 wage orders have been issued from June 2023 to April 2026, including increases that took effect Friday in some regions.
The government is also providing assistance to overseas Filipino workers affected by tensions in the Middle East.
