Marcos tells workers on Labor Day: Don't lose courage, diligence, hope

Ahead of the observance of Labor Day on May 1, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Sunday told Filipino workers not to lose courage, diligence, and hope despite the challenges in life.

In his speech, the President acknowledged the hardships confronting the workers, such as unemployment, rising price of commodities, and having no access to government benefits.

Thus, he promised that the protection of workers will be prioritized under his administration.

“Sa kabila ng mga hamon ng buhay, wag kayong mawalan ng lakas ng loob, ng kasipagan, at ng pag-asa. Nawa’y panatilihin ninyo ang pagsisikap, integridad, at pagmamahal sa lahat ng inyong gawain. Ipamalas natin ito at ipamana sa ating mga anak at susunod na ating salinlahi,” Marcos said.

(Despite life's challenges, do not lose courage, diligence, and hope. May you maintain your hard work, integrity, and love in everything that you do. Let's show it and pass it on to our children and the next generation.)

“Ang ating pagsusumikap ay may kakayahang makapagtaguyod ng ating sarili, pamilya, at pamayanan. Ito rin ay may kakayahang magpapakita ng pagmamahal at naghahatid ng ginhawa, kapanatagan, at kasiyahan sa ating lahat na lalong mapaunlad ang ating mga buhay,” he added.

(Our hard work can sustain ourselves, family, and community. It also has the ability to show love and bring comfort, security, and satisfaction to all of us to further improve our lives.)

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), unemployed Filipinos or the number of those in the labor force without jobs or livelihoods in February 2023 stood at 2.47 million.

The number of jobless adults — ages 15 and above — was higher than the 2.37 million unemployed seen in January, but lower than the 3.13 million jobless in February 2022.

Before his flight to Washington, DC on Sunday afternoon, Marcos went to the opening of the  “Kadiwa ng Pangulo Para Sa Manggagawa” outlet in Pasay City, which gathered more than 150 businesses and sellers from participating agencies.

The President also witnessed the signing of a contract between the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and different government agencies to support and further strengthen the labor force through livelihood programs, job creations and skills training, among others.

He also led the distribution of various government assistance to around 1,400 beneficiaries; and visited the ongoing jobs, livelihood, and business fairs that feature around 82,000 job openings from different industries. —LBG, GMA Integrated News