MANILA — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to fostering a fair, transparent, and investor-friendly business environment as he addressed job seekers and entrepreneurs during the Job Fair + Skills E-Hub at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

Speaking at the event, the President said improving the country’s business climate is crucial to creating more employment opportunities and drawing both local and foreign investments. “Be assured that this Administration will continue to create a fair, transparent, and enabling business environment—one that encourages both local and foreign investments, and rewards persistence with progress,” he said.

Marcos emphasized the value of government collaboration with the private sector, calling it “one of the strongest drivers of national development,” especially in generating jobs, delivering skills training, and supporting both workers and entrepreneurs.

He highlighted the government’s partnership with the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) through Trabaho Para sa Bayan: J.O.B.S. (Job Opportunities Building Skills), which has held over 5,000 job fairs nationwide since 2023, reached 1.3 million job seekers and helped at least 200,000 individuals secure on-the-spot employment.

“In these times, when many Filipinos are having a hard time finding employment that matches their skills, their interests, and their aspirations, we recognize that this is our responsibility to ensure that assistance is something that meets them wherever they are,” he said. “Kaya po nandito tayo ngayon upang gawing mas madali, abot-kamay, at makabuluhan ang pagkakataong maghanap ng trabaho, madagdagan ang kasanayan, at magsimula ang kabuhayan.”

Through the partnership of SM, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the government organized the Job Fair and Skills E-Hub, while DOLE simultaneously conducted job fairs across eight other locations nationwide.

“This hub brings together a large-scale job fair and digital upskilling… Our partners from the Asia Pacific College, the National University, and IBM are here to showcase their digital upskilling stations and demonstrate AI training—proof once again that the Filipino worker can and should not only adapt to the digital future but thrive in that digital future,” Marcos said.

He noted that the government and its private partners are also holding a holiday MSME bazaar at Ayala Malls by the Bay and a one-stop service hub at Robinsons Manila that offers job fairs, mentoring sessions, and government assistance programs.

Marcos also announced DOLE’s release of financial aid under the Tulong Pang-hanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program to provide immediate assistance to eligible beneficiaries. The agency distributed 19 sacks of rice to several bigasan enterprises as seed capital and granted financial assistance checks to five MSMEs under its Adjustment Measures Program.

“We hope that government assistance would help you grow your business, improving enterprise viability, competitiveness, and productivity,” he said.

The President encouraged job seekers to maximize opportunities available at the job fair, saying continuous learning will help them stay competitive in a rapidly shifting labor market. He also urged entrepreneurs to showcase Filipino innovation and use the event to form partnerships and explore new ideas.

“None of this would be possible without the support of the private sector, including our mall partners and the PSAC,” Marcos said. “Sa tulong ninyong lahat, napapalapit natin ang mga oportunidad sa bawat Pilipino upang magkaroon ang bawat isa ng mas maginhawa, mas maunlad, at mas masaganang buhay,” he added.