Manila: An initial standby fund worth PHP1.2 billion will further intensify and refocus the implementation of Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) programs for vulnerable workers amid the current situation in the Middle East. In a statement on Friday, DOLE said the budget will be used mainly through its two flagship social protection programs, Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) and the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP), which support vulnerable workers, including those who may be displaced as a consequence of the current energy emergency.
According to Philippines News Agency, DOLE reported that for the first quarter of 2026, it has provided emergency employment through TUPAD and livelihood assistance through DILP to a total of 110,106 vulnerable workers, amounting to PHP753.69 million. The DOLE also adopted the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) under Executive Order (EO) 110, which declared the energy emergency. EO 110 enables government agencies to address the risks posed by disruptions in the global energy supply and the domestic economy, including in the labor market.
To support UPLIFT, the DOLE is closely working with the Department of Transportation, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and local government units to implement targeted emergency employment and livelihood interventions, starting with transport workers to help ensure continuity of economic activity and mobility of the riding public. It has also identified industries that may need similar assistance, such as agriculture and fisheries.
The DOLE is likewise in close coordination with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration in identifying repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who may be provided with appropriate assistance, including job matching with available vacancies in their respective areas, referral to skills training opportunities through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and access to livelihood support. As part of the National Reintegration Network, it will collaborate with the DMW in the 'Bayanihan para sa Balikbayang Manggagawa' in April to provide a comprehensive platform for repatriated OFWs and their families to access a full range of reintegration services from government agencies, the private sector, and local partners.
Meanwhile, DOLE said monthly job fairs across the country expand employment opportunities. Since January, the agency has conducted 144 job fairs, including those for senior high school and alternative learning system graduates, as well as displaced construction workers. Aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s standing directive to ensure the timely review and issuance of wage orders, all 16 regional tripartite wages and productivity boards have issued minimum wage adjustments for the 2025-2026 wage round, with the latest minimum wage order issued in Region V (Bicol) to take effect April 8. It will also be convening with the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council to further come up with strategies and plans of action that will help respond to the energy emergency.
