FARM TO MARKET | President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. opens a “Kadiwa ng Pangulo Para Sa Manggagawa” outlet with at least 150 businesses and sellers participating. (Photo from Philippine News Agency)
MANILA, Philippines — Just hours before he left for an official visit to the United States, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday joined a Labor Day celebration in Pasay City and led the distribution of government benefits to workers, including housing units.
“Expect that your government will never neglect labor and employment, especially under my administration. As President, I promise that the protection for the Filipino worker will remain a top priority of my administration,” Mr. Marcos said at the SMX Convention Center on the eve of Labor Day.
The president instructed the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and other state agencies to remain steadfast in improving programs to improve employment and workers’ employability and productivity.
“I direct all concerned agencies, especially the DOLE, to remain focused in delivering good programs on livelihood and skills and knowledge development for our workers,” he said.
The president led the distribution of various government assistance to workers and witnessed the signing of agreements on housing, skills training, and other workers’ benefits.
Kadiwa ng Pangulo
Marcos also visited the stalls of 65 businesses and 130 sellers participating in the Kadiwa ng Pangulo para sa mga Manggagawa which provides a network for direct farmer-to-consumer sales.
The president visited the stalls of 125 employers who joined the Job, Livelihood and Business Fair to offer 12,951 local job vacancies and gamely posed for selfies among eager vendors and participants.
The president later led the ceremonial distribution of various DOLE assistance packages to 20,165 beneficiaries in the National Capital Region, amounting to P162.23 million.
He also awarded five house and lot packages that were raffled off to DOLE aid beneficiaries.
Also on Sunday, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) signed an agreement with the OFW party list group to match low-cost housing units to interested overseas Filipino workers.
OFW party-list Rep. Marissa Magsino signed the memorandum of agreement with Housing Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar for the inclusion of overseas workers in the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Housing program.
Magsino said the agreement entails the allocation of units for OFWs, returnees, and their family members.
“DHSUD will provide the details of housing projects in the pipeline, which the OFW party list can match with OFWs who have signified their intention to be prospective beneficiaries,” she said.
The DHSUD will then conduct a prequalification assessment of the OFW beneficiaries validated and endorsed by the party list group.
Magsino said that before she was a representative, she was actively involved in the housing industry as chairperson of the National Real Estate Association.