Legarda: A nation’s progress must reach the workers’ table

Sen. Loren Legarda

As the nation marked Labor Day on Thursday, Senator Loren Legarda emphasized the need to ensure that the gains of national progress are felt where they matter most: on the tables of every Filipino worker, at home and abroad.

“Our workers are more than resilient. They are creative, adaptable, and relentless in their pursuit of a better life. It is through their tireless efforts that our nation stands, innovates, and grows,” said Legarda in recognizing the vital contributions of Filipino workers in the country and across the globe.

“Labor Day reminds us that decent work is the foundation of a just society. Every worker must have the opportunity not only to earn a living, but to thrive in conditions where dignity is upheld, rights are protected, and opportunities for advancement are accessible,” she added.

In the 19th Congress, Legarda filed the Living Wage Bill (Senate Bill No. 2662), which seeks to establish the concept of a living wage in the Philippines. The proposed measure aims to ensure that minimum wage-setting mechanisms are based on transparent, evidence-based methodologies that consider local socio-economic realities, thereby guaranteeing that every worker earns enough to provide for their family’s basic needs with dignity.

“A true measure of a nation’s progress is whether the fruits of growth reach the worker’s table,” Legarda said.

Legarda also filed the proposed Magna Carta of Waste Workers (Senate Bill No. 2636) to recognize their indispensable role in public health and environmental sustainability by ensuring their rights to safe working conditions, fair compensation, and social protection.

Meanwhile, Legarda’s Senate Bill No. 7 seeks to establish the Barangay Employment and Entrepreneurship Office (BEESO) to serve as a streamlined hub connecting job seekers and employers at the grassroots level.

Throughout her four terms in the Senate, Legarda has championed landmark laws to promote employment, uplift marginalized workers, and future-proof the labor force. These include the Caregivers’ Welfare Act (RA 11965), Philippine Green Jobs Act (RA 10771), Philippine Creative Industries Development Act (RA 11904), Jobstart Philippines Act (RA 10869), and the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act (RA 11261).