On 20 September 2024, the Government of the Philippines, in collaboration with UN agencies and other stakeholders, convened to initiate and formalize the development of a national roadmap for implementing the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions.
As a pathfinder country for the Global Accelerator since March 2024, the Philippines has demonstrated its strong commitment to enhancing investments in jobs and social protection. This initiative aims to support the country’s vision of achieving full, decent, and productive employment for all Filipinos. The roadmap will serve as a strategic guide, outlining key policy reforms and programmes on social protection, employment, and sectoral and macroeconomic policies, all tailored to the nation’s unique context and priorities.
Key government agencies, including the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), have discussed the next steps and timeline for developing the roadmap. These efforts will be aligned with the Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TBP) Act Plan, the Philippines’ master plan for employment generation and economic recovery. To support these efforts, a UN Joint Programme, funded by the Joint SDG Fund, will provide technical and financial assistance under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator.
Image Credits: © DOLE
The importance of inclusive and coordinated action in developing the roadmap was emphasized during the 4th Steering Group meeting of the Global Accelerator, held from 1–2 October 2024. Ms. Carmela Torres, Undersecretary of the Employment and Human Resource Development Cluster at DOLE, stressed the need for multi-stakeholder consultations to ensure broad support and ownership of the roadmap.
Ms. Torres also highlighted that the inter-agency council established under the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act will serve as the national steering committee for the Global Accelerator. This structure will align the country’s plans with the goals of the Global Accelerator, promoting a comprehensive approach to decent job creation and the expansion of social protection. She further emphasized the inclusive governance framework, which actively involves social partners and ensures representation from marginalized and informal sectors.
The initial focus of this initiative will be on two key sectors—construction and transport—identified for their potential to drive significant employment and social protection outcomes.
Note:
All joint programmes of the Joint SDG Fund are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by the agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations development system. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and our private sector funding partners, for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
