The initiatives, introduced under the Department of Labor and Employment's (DOLE) Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program, provide skills training and certification, business capital assistance, wage subsidies, workplace experience and livelihood support for coastal communities.
Marcos led the introduction of the seven initiatives during the 26th National Public Employment Service Office (PESO) Congress at Jpark Island Resort & Waterpark in Barangay Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City.
Wearing a blue DOLE shirt bearing the logos of the seven initiatives, the President was welcomed by Cebuano businessman Justin Sy Uy, chair of the 800-room Jpark Island Resort & Waterpark and president of Profood International Corp.
Upon his arrival, Marcos was briefed by Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino on the enhanced TUPAD program and interacted with at least 75 beneficiaries, many of them fisherfolk who received livelihood assistance, including fishing boats and fish pens.
The seven initiatives are SkillPass, Tropa Negosyo Trabaho, Sagip-Trabaho, KaHANAP, Match Fund LGU, Tulong-Aral and Trabahong-Dagat.
Addressing employment gaps
In his speech, Marcos said limited access to job information, employment services and livelihood opportunities remained major obstacles to securing decent work.
He also cited the mismatch between workers' skills and industry requirements as a continuing cause of unemployment and underemployment.
To address these challenges, Marcos said the administration had directed the Department of Education, DOLE, Department of Trade and Industry, Commission on Higher Education and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to align their training programs with labor market needs.
"We continue to promote skills development responsive to local and international business and industries and strengthen the link between training and employment," Marcos said.
Wage subsidies
One of the initiatives, Sagip-Trabaho, provides wage subsidies for up to 90 days to qualified micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) affected by mandated wage increases.
The program aims to help businesses retain workers and prevent layoffs or closures resulting from higher labor costs.
Tolentino said the government would shoulder the additional P42 daily minimum wage for qualified MSMEs in Central Visayas under Sagip-Trabaho to help them cope with the wage increase that took effect on Oct. 14.
Marcos also announced that the new minimum wage rates for private-sector workers and domestic workers in Central Visayas had taken effect on Wednesday.
Covered private-sector workers will receive an additional P42 in their daily minimum wage, while domestic workers, or kasambahays, will receive an additional P500 in their monthly minimum wage.
“These increases aim to improve workers’ earnings and help them provide for their families,” said the President.
Business capital
Another initiative, Tropa Negosyo Trabaho, also known as Puhunan Ko, provides capital assistance ranging from P50,000 to P500,000 to groups of at least five qualified beneficiaries seeking to establish microenterprises.
The assistance includes business training, mentoring and market support to help beneficiaries establish sustainable sources of income.
The initiative is intended to provide disadvantaged workers with opportunities to pursue entrepreneurship instead of relying solely on temporary employment assistance.
Skills and employment
SkillPass allows TUPAD beneficiaries to document their work experience and skills to improve their access to employment, livelihood and training opportunities.
Qualified participants may also undergo skills assessment and certification facilitated by TESDA.
Under KaHANAP, job-ready TUPAD beneficiaries and other qualified workers may be matched with MSMEs for up to 90 days of supervised workplace experience.
The program gives participants an opportunity to demonstrate their skills, gain practical experience and potentially secure regular employment.
Match Fund LGU, meanwhile, seeks to strengthen cooperation between DOLE and local government units by pooling resources to expand temporary employment opportunities.
The initiative supports public service improvements, environmental protection and government digitalization, particularly in fourth-, fifth- and sixth-income-class municipalities.
Tulong-Aral engages qualified education graduates and academic mentors to help Grades 1 to 3 learners improve their reading, writing and mathematics skills.
The mentors will undergo training before being deployed to public schools or authorized learning venues.
Coastal livelihoods
Trabahong-Dagat focuses on providing employment, skills training and enterprise development opportunities for fisherfolk, coastal youth and other qualified workers, particularly during closed fishing seasons when fishing activities are restricted.
The initiative covers maritime and fishing-related services, aquaculture, fisheries production and small-business development under the blue economy.
Marcos said a job fair offering local and overseas maritime employment opportunities was being held simultaneously at Island Central Mactan in Lapu-Lapu City.
The event offered more than 1,300 vacancies, including 275 positions in the maritime sector.
The seven initiatives are intended to help beneficiaries acquire skills, gain work experience and develop sustainable sources of income rather than depend solely on short-term assistance.
"All these efforts underscore the importance of helping workers develop their skills, gain experience, and build secure livelihoods," Marcos said.
Employment gains
Marcos also reported that the government conducted 1,554 job fairs nationwide from January to August 2026, resulting in 65,534 individuals being hired on the spot.
More than 91 percent of qualified jobseekers under the PESO program were successfully placed in employment, he said.
During the first half of 2026, a total of 111,509 students and out-of-school youth benefited from the Special Program for Employment of Students, while nearly 20,000 interns gained work experience through the Government Internship Program.
Since the beginning of the Marcos administration, TUPAD had provided emergency employment assistance to more than 14 million beneficiaries as of August 2026. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
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