With the number of unemployed Filipinos increasing to 2.26 million in December 2025 from 2.25 million in November, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano renewed calls for reforms that address wage issues, labor protection, and long-standing weaknesses in the country’s employment system.
The latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that unemployment edged higher month-on-month from November to December 2025, and remained significantly above the 1.63 million recorded in December 2024, underscoring persistent challenges faced by Filipino workers seeking stable jobs and income.
Cayetano stressed the need for a coordinated approach involving government, workers, and employers to address employment concerns, particularly wages and job quality.
In filing the proposed Executive-Legislative Labor Commission (LabCom) Act as his priority bill in the 20th Congress, the veteran legislator said the measure seeks to institutionalize such cooperation by creating a platform for joint action on labor issues.
“This body will convene representatives from Congress, the Executive branch, Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs), trade and industry, and the labor sector, including the migrant and informal sectors, to collectively pursue sustainable solutions,” the seasoned lawmaker said.
“Labor concerns go beyond employment statistics and directly affect Filipino families.”
The senator emphasized that labor concerns go beyond employment statistics and directly affect Filipino families, particularly when workers are forced to look for opportunities away from home due to inadequate wages and weak labor protection.
“If ever magkaroon ng Labor Commision, these are exactly the types of issues that we will solve,” he said.
“Addressing structural gaps in labor policy remains critical to ensuring that economic activity translates into real opportunities for ordinary Filipinos.”
Addressing structural gaps in labor policy, Cayetano said, remains critical to ensuring that economic activity translates into real opportunities for ordinary Filipinos, especially as unemployment levels remain higher than a year ago.
He maintained that improving labor systems, protecting workers’ rights, and ensuring fair wages are key steps toward easing the pressure on Filipino households affected by joblessness.
Playing on the word “lab” from “LabCom,” Cayetano said: “Kung lab (love) natin ang Pilipinas, kung lab (love) natin ang ating laborers, kung gusto natin ang mga OFWs na hindi na kailangan mag-broad, we have to have a labor commission.”
