PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday marked Labor Day honoring the country’s essential workers for their tireless sacrifices in the face of an unprecedented health crisis, assuring them of an improved work environment where security of tenure, statutory labor …

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday marked Labor Day honoring the countrys essential workers for their tireless sacrifices in the face of an unprecedented health crisis, assuring them of an improved work environment where security of tenure, statutory labor standards, and their rights are upheld, protected, and cherished.
In his Labor Day message, Duterte thanked Filipino workers, particularly essential frontliners, for their commitment to keeping the country afloat amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
“Today, we find new meaning in our annual commemoration of Labor Day. This year, we honor our Filipino workers whofueled not just by the desire to support their families and advance their careershave tirelessly toiled these past several months to ensure that our society will continue to function in the face of an unprecedented health crisis that crippled industries across the world,” the President said.
“On behalf of a grateful nation, I express my deepest gratitude to our hardworking healthcare workers and essential frontliners for their unwavering commitment in ensuring the unhampered delivery of goods and services that continue to sustain our communities and industries during these difficult times,” he added.
The President assured Filipinos all over the world that his administration was working hard to promote the welfare of workers.
“To all Filipino workers here and abroad, let me assure you that this administration will endeavor to work as vigorously as you have in creating an environment where security of tenure, statutory labor standards, and workers rights are not only upheld and protected, but also cherished as the foundations of a strong and thriving workforce,” Duterte said.
“Together, let us rebuild a stronger and more resilient society that we can probably leave behind the succeeding generations of Filipinos,” he added.
The countrys health workers in hospitals have been struggling with the surge of patients. Many of them have also been infected with the virus.
Meanwhile, Duterte is expected to sign on Friday an executive order institutionalizing the National Employment Recovery Strategy (NERS) task force, which is designed to align the governments overall plan to cope with pandemic-triggered challenges on the labor market.
Under the NERS action plan, the government aims to spearhead an employment push from 2021 to 2022, anchored on the updated Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 and the ReCharge PH through the expansion of the trabaho, negosyo, kabuhayan initiative.
The Covid-19 pandemic has crippled the Philippine economy leading to record-level unemployment, with 4.2 million Filipinos jobless as of February 2021.
On Monday, the Philippines passed the one million mark in Covid-19 cases recorded, with the countrys National Capital Region and nearby provinces being once again subjected to strict quarantine lockdowns.
The countrys total new coronavirus cases of 1,037,460 includes 73,908 active cases, 946,318 recovered patients, and 17,234 deaths.