As the number of unemployed Filipinos rose to an estimated 2.5 million in May, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano reiterated his push for a long-term labor reform body to address not only unemployment but also the deeper problems affecting the quality and security of Filipino jobs.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the unemployment rate inched up to 4.8 percent in May from 4.7 percent in April, increasing the number of jobless Filipinos from 2.41 million to 2.5 million. Meanwhile, the underemployment rate eased to 12.2 percent from 15.2 percent a month earlier.

The latest figures come as Cayetano continues to advocate for the creation of the Executive-Legislative Labor Commission (LabCom), a priority measure he filed in July 2025 to craft long-term labor policies on wages, employment, worker protection, and other labor concerns.

“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 a sustainable solution to the living wage issue,” Cayetano said when he filed the measure.

He also argued that improving employment figures alone is not enough if workers continue to face wide wage disparities and slow access to labor justice.

During the Senate deliberations on the proposed 2026 budget of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Cayetano noted that prolonged labor cases often leave workers at a disadvantage because many cannot afford months without income while disputes remain unresolved.

“Marami talagang nawawalan ng gana na maghabol kasi walang kinikita habang umaandar ang kaso,” he said.

The proposed commission seeks to address these systemic issues through coordinated and evidence-based reforms, including industry-specific wage policies instead of one-size-fits-all approaches.

“The LabCom will not talk in generalities. It will come out industry specific,” Cayetano said.

He said the proposed commission ultimately aims to restore dignity to work and create opportunities that would allow more Filipinos to build their future in the country.

“Not only will this bring us closer to realizing the just and humane society envisioned by our Constitution, it will also help end the endless stream of Filipinos who are forced to leave their homes and families for what they hope would be greener economic pastures,” Cayetano said. ###