Philippines launches first 10-year labor market development plan

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The Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) officially launched the Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) Plan 2025-2034 on Monday, May 5, marking the Philippines’ first 10-year labor market development strategy.

The landmark plan lays out a comprehensive roadmap for job creation, labor market transformation, and inclusive workforce development aligned with the medium-term Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028 and the long-term AmBisyon Natin 2040, DEPDev said in a statement.

The launch comes shortly after the enactment of the Economy, Planning, and Development Act, under Republic Act (RA) No. 12145, which transformed the state planning agency National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) into DEPDev, it noted. This institutional reform aims to enhance the government's long-term planning capacity and policy coherence, it added.

“This transformation strengthens our mandate as we integrate various socioeconomic goals into a unified and forward-looking strategy that truly benefits all Filipinos. We assure our stakeholders that the DEPDev will play a proactive and enabling role in developing policies and programs to ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth, foster quality job creation, and produce a competitive workforce,” DEPDev Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.

Balisacan noted that structural shifts in the Philippine labor market—driven by automation, digitalization, and emerging technologies—are reshaping the economic landscape. He also pointed to long-term pressures such as climate change and demographic shifts as critical factors influencing labor market dynamics.

“These evolving trends underscore the urgent need for adaptive policies that foster economic growth and offer essential support to Filipino workers as they navigate these evolving challenges. With our collective effort, we will create an inclusive, efficient, and dynamic labor market environment where Filipinos can access meaningful, quality jobs, enabling them to have a matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay,” the DEPDev chief added.

The TPB Plan is backed by the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act, or RA 11962, signed into law in September 2023. The law mandates the formulation of a national master plan for employment generation and recovery, reflecting the government’s commitment to building a resilient and inclusive workforce.