01/05/2026
Today, we commemorate Labor Day in the Philippines under this year’s theme: “Disenteng Trabaho para sa Lahat: Iisang Hangarin, Bagong Pilipinas Sama-samang Mararating.” A call to action that demands that every Filipino worker be given not only employment, but dignified work, equitable opportunities, and wages that allow them to live, not merely survive.
As of February 2026, 49.43 million Filipinos were employed, but this does not tell the whole story. Around 2.66 million Filipinos remain jobless out of the 52.09 million in the labor force, while 5.84 million workers (11.8% of the employed) remain underemployed, forced to seek additional hours just to make ends meet (Dela Peña, 2026). These are Filipinos who have jobs, yet still cannot earn enough. This reality falls short of the “disenteng trabaho” we strive for.
How can we call a job “decent” if it fails to provide fair income, security, and dignity? How can it be considered just if it cannot sustain a reasonable standard of living?
Those who are employed continue to face a widening gap between wages and the actual cost of living. According to the IBON Foundation, as of March 2026, a family of 5 in NCR needs around ₱1,266 or more per day to live decently, nearly double the ₱695 daily minimum wage. This stark disparity exposes a painful truth. Even full-time work does not guarantee a decent life. Many Filipino workers remain trapped in a cycle where their earnings fall far short of what is needed to meet basic needs and live with dignity.
This crisis is reflected in how Filipinos themselves perceive their lives. A survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) in the 1st quarter of 2026 found that 50% of adult Filipinos said their quality of life had worsened compared to the previous year (De Vera-Ruiz, 2026). This figure reflects a nation filled with hardworking and resilient people, yet burdened by a system where too many are overworked, underpaid, and undervalued.
A decent job must mean more than getting by each day. Wages should not trap Filipinos in a cycle of survival where they are forced to choose between food, rent, healthcare, and education. Work should never come at the cost of dignity, and employment should never equate to exploitation.
This Labor Day must also serve as a firm reminder to those in power that, in a country long burdened by corruption, public office must never be treated as a means of personal gain. Corruption is not a job–and it should never be. Every act of corruption robs workers of better wages, deprives communities of job opportunities, and weakens the very systems meant to uplift them. It steals from the Filipino people the life they deserve and work so hard to achieve.
To our government officials, remember that you work for the people and in their best interests. The strength of the nation lies in its workers—the teachers, healthcare professionals, fisherfolk, farmers, veterinarians, and every Filipino who contributes to nation-building. They deserve programs and policies that ensure they are not only employed, but empowered and valued.
As we honor Filipino workers today, let us continue to demand a country where decent work is not a privilege, but a right. We stand in solidarity with every Filipino worker in the fight for fair wages, humane conditions, and genuine opportunities. A “Bagong Pilipinas” can only be achieved when every Filipino is given the opportunity to work with dignity and earn a livable and fair wage.
