Cayetano pushes Senate measure to revive investments, create quality jobs
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday co-introduced the creation of a Senate ad hoc committee that will pursue long-term reforms to address the country’s economic slowdown, with a focus on reviving investments, creating quality jobs, and improving Filipino workers’ incomes.
Cayetano, together with Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian and Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, filed Proposed Senate Resolution No. 618 on August 24 to create the Reinvigorate Investment and Sustainable Economic Growth (RISE) Ad Hoc Committee which will recommend to both chambers of Congress the legislative measures needed to strengthen economic resilience and promote sustainable and inclusive growth.
The resolution cited the country’s 2.6-percent economic growth in the first half of 2026, compared with 5.5 to 8.2 percent among major ASEAN economies. Unemployment also rose from 3.7 percent to 4.9 percent, with the number of jobless Filipinos reaching 2.6 million as of June.
Instead of temporary or “band-aid” measures, the proposed RISE Committee will prioritize structural reforms and long-term interventions to reinvigorate investments and strengthen the economy.
Cayetano stressed that supporting businesses and investments should go hand in hand with improving workers’ incomes.
“Sana mapag-usapan din natin y’ung ano ba ang tamang amount na hindi naman tutumba o malulugi y’ung mga negosyo, pero at the same time y’ung ating mga laborers at workers kumita ng living wage,” he said.
The resolution likewise calls for “quality and sustainable jobs within the country” so that migration would no longer be driven by the lack of opportunities at home, while laying the foundation for a living wage for Filipino workers.
The same goal is reflected in Cayetano’s Senate Bill No. 104, or the Executive-Legislative Labor Commission (LabCom) Act of 2025, which seeks to establish a nationwide framework for a living wage and institutionalize a National Labor Roadmap.
Cayetano maintained that improving workers’ wages should ultimately form part of the country’s broader economic development.
“The hope of building a just and humane society will begin once we look beyond simply providing a minimum wage and start aiming for a living wage for all Filipinos,” he said.
Filipino Version
Cayetano isinusulong ang resolusyon para sa pagpapasigla ng ekonomiya
Isinulong ni Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano nitong Lunes ang pagbuo ng isang special committee sa Senado na maghahanap ng pangmatagalang solusyon sa paghina ng ekonomiya, kabilang ang pagpapasigla ng pamumuhunan at paglikha ng mas maraming de-kalidad na trabaho.
Kasama sina Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian at Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, naghain si Cayetano ng Proposed Senate Resolution No. 618 nitong August 24 para likhain ang Reinvigorate Investment and Sustainable Economic Growth o RISE Ad Hoc Committee.
Inaatasan ang panukalang komite na magrekomenda ng mga bagong batas at reporma na makatutulong sa pagpapalakas ng ekonomiya at pagsusulong ng mas matatag at inklusibong paglago.
Ayon sa resolusyon, 2.6% lamang ang itinaas ng ekonomiya ng Pilipinas sa unang kalahati ng 2026, mas mababa kumpara sa 5.5% hanggang 8.2% na paglago na naitala ng mga pangunahing ekonomiya sa ASEAN.
Kasabay nito, tumaas sa 4.9% ang unemployment rate noong Hunyo mula sa 3.7%, kung saan nasa 2.6 milyon ang bilang ng mga walang trabaho.
Dahil dito, nais ni Cayetano na higit na pagtuunan ng pansin ang mga pangmatagalang reporma sa halip na mga panandaliang solusyon na aniya ay parang “band-aid” lamang sa problema ng ekonomiya.
Mahalaga rin aniyang matiyak na kapwa makikinabang ang mga negosyo at manggagawa sa pag-unlad ng ekonomiya.
“Sana mapag-usapan din natin y’ung ano ba ang tamang amount na hindi naman tutumba o malulugi y’ung mga negosyo, pero at the same time y’ung ating mga laborers at workers kumita ng living wage,” wika niya.
Kabilang sa layunin ng RISE Committee ang paglikha ng de-kalidad at likas-kayang mga trabaho sa bansa upang hindi na mapilitan ang mga Pilipino na mangibang-bansa dahil lamang sa kakulangan ng oportunidad sa sariling bansa.
Kasabay nito, nais ding mailatag ang pundasyon para sa living wage o sahod na sapat para sa pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan ng mga manggagawa.
Kaugnay nito ang Senate Bill No. 104 ni Cayetano, o ang Executive-Legislative Labor Commission (LabCom) Act of 2025, na naglalayong magtatag ng pambansang balangkas para sa living wage at isang National Labor Roadmap.
Para kay Cayetano, hindi dapat matapos sa pagtatakda ng minimum wage ang usapin ng sahod dahil dapat itong maiugnay sa mas malawak na pag-unlad ng ekonomiya at kalidad ng buhay ng mga Pilipino.
“The hope of building a just and humane society will begin once we look beyond simply providing a minimum wage and start aiming for a living wage for all Filipinos,” wika niya.
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