UPLIFT PH

𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐃 𝐎𝐈𝐋 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐂𝐊, 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐍 𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐖 𝟐𝟔 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇

Even as the country reeled from the shock of the Middle East war, foreign investments continued to pour in in March, indicating steady investor confidence in how the Marcos administration addressed the adverse impact of the jump in oil prices.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported that foreign direct investments (FDI) during the first month of the oil shock reached $611 million, eclipsing the $485 million in March 2025 by 26.1%.

The BSP said it was the first time since December last year that foreign investments posted a year-on-year growth.

Leading investors in March came from the US, Japan, and Singapore, who put new capital mostly in manufacturing, finance, insurance, and real estate.

The $611 million FDI in March was only slightly lower than the $638 million in February before the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.

The war sent oil and fuel prices soaring, disrupting trade and logistics worldwide and triggering inflation in most countries.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. responded with a whole-of-government strategy by putting all government interventions and programs under the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food and Transport framework.

The Philippine government’s approach was commended by the Asian Development Bank, citing the positive effect of policies that “allow price signals to work, use fiscal space prudently, and build longer-term resilience.”

“Targeting fiscal support to vulnerable groups and lower income households, as much as possible on a temporary basis, does not blur price signals and helps preserve fiscal space,” the ADB said in a report in April.

It cited as examples targeted cash transfers, subsidies directed toward public transport, or energy bill rebates that are not linked to the volume of consumption—measures that the government implemented as part of UPLIFT.

Even as economic volatility continues to prevail worldwide, foreign investments can help the Philippines navigate through the challenges, according to analysts.

Jonathan L. Ravelas, senior adviser at Reyes Tacandong & Co., in a news report by Business Mirror, said FDI can “definitely help the economy” by bringing in capital, jobs, and productivity gains, which are crucial in mitigating the impact of inflation, especially with external shocks like the Middle East conflict.

“Looking ahead, I expect FDI to remain soft but resilient. In a high-inflation, slower-growth environment, investors tend to be more disciplined. The opportunity for the Philippines is clear: if we can deliver policy consistency, ease of doing business, and stable macro conditions, we can turn this period of caution into a platform for stronger, more sustained inflows,” Business Mirror quoted Ravelas.

𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐔𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐄𝐒

Households and businesses in Catanduanes will soon find relief from daily rotational brownouts with the installation of emergency generator sets to augment the island's power supply.

The generators, with a total capacity of eight megawatts, will bridge the present gap between the power demand of about 17 megawatts and existing supply of 10.78 megawatts.

Catanduanes has been experiencing regular brownouts as its power provider struggled with the increase in diesel prices.

Acting on the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to resolve the power situation in Catanduanes, the Department of Energy (DOE), National Power Corp. (NAPOCOR), and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) coordinated the implementation of measures to stabilize power in the province and bring relief to the people of Catanduanes.

The new generators, supplied by Isla Dagyab Energy Corp. under the second Emergency Power Supply Agreement, are expected to be operational on June 15.

To further bridge the supply gap, NAPOCOR has relocated generator sets previously rented by Sunwest Water and Electric Co. Inc. (SUWECO) to the NAPOCOR Marinawa Compound to provide temporary supply while long-term supply arrangements are being put in place.

“These initiatives reflect the Marcos Administration’s clear directive to act swiftly and decisively to resolve power supply challenges and ensure that the people of Catanduanes have access to reliable electricity that powers their homes, businesses, and essential services,” Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin said.

The deployment of the generator sets is part of the DOE’s initiatives to ensure sufficient power supply under the United Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT), the Marcos Administration’s whole-of-government strategy to protect the economy and Filipinos from the effects of the Middle East crisis.

“We extend our gratitude to the National Electrification Administration, National Power Corp., and all stakeholders for their coordinated efforts. This undertaking demonstrates that unity and collective action are key to delivering the stable energy supply every Filipino deserves,” Garin said.

𝟗𝟓,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐉𝐎𝐁𝐒 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐓 𝐉𝐎𝐁-𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐓 𝐃𝐎𝐋𝐄’𝐬 𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐖𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐉𝐎𝐁 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐒

Are you looking for a job?

Visit a job fair of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) near you after joining the country’s 128th Independence Day celebrations on June 12.

As its participation in the celebration of the 128th anniversary of Philippine Independence under the theme, “Kalayaan. Kinabukasan. Kasaysayan,” DOLE is holding simultaneous nationwide job fairs in 55 sites, with an estimated 95,000 employment opportunities available to job seekers.

Dubbed as Trabaho Agad, the fairs aim to help unemployed and underemployed individuals, including those who recently lost their jobs because of the Middle East crisis, find new employment and income opportunities closer to their communities.

The job fairs are part of the United Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT), the whole-of-government strategy adopted by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to protect the economy and Filipinos from the adverse impact of the war in the Middle East.

Labor Secretary Francis N. Tolentino encouraged job seekers to seize the available employment opportunities through the DOLE Trabaho Agad fairs in key locations and major malls nationwide

Tolentino said the job fairs are designed to make employment services more accessible, convenient, and responsive to job seekers’ needs, while enabling employers to connect to a broader pool of qualified applicants.

He said Trabaho Agad is among the comprehensive initiatives of the Marcos Administration to expand access to decent work opportunities and support the reintegration of returning overseas Filipino workers into the workforce.

A total of 1,181 local and overseas employers are expected to participate in the simultaneous job fairs organized by the DOLE Regional Offices and the Public Employment Service Offices.

The top vacancies are in retail, manufacturing, construction, business process outsourcing, and accommodation and food service. Among the in-demand occupations are sales clerks/store crew, production operators, construction workers, call center representatives, and service crew.

The job fairs will also serve as a one-stop-shop for documentary processing facilitated by participating agencies such as the NBI, SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG. Career development support will also be available, with TESDA providing skills training opportunities.

Here’s the schedule and venues of the job fairs:

National Capital Region
June 11 - Robinsons Malabon
June 11 - Alert Multi-purpose Hall, Valenzuela City
June 12 - SM San Lazaro
June 12 - SM Sangandaan
June 12 - SM Sucat
June 12 - Vista Mall Taguig
June 12 - SM Center Las Pinas
June 12 - Robinsons Las Pinas
June 12 - SM City East Ortigas
June 12 - SM Megamall
June 12 - SM Marikina
June 12 - Double Dragon Plaza
June 12 - Robinsons Novaliches
June 17 - Waltermart Quezon City
June 26 - Ayala Malls Circuit

Cordillera Administrative Region
June 12 - Porta Vaga Mall

Region I
June 12 - SM City Laoag, Ilocos Norte
June 12 - Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College Gymnasium – Main Campus, Candon City, Ilocos Sur
June 12 - SM La Union, San Fernando City, La Union
June 12 - NEPO Mall, Dagupan City, Pangasin
June 12 - SM City Rosales, Pangasinan
June 12 - Don Leopoldo Sison Convention Center, Alaminos City, Pangasinan

Region II
June 12 - SM City Tuguegarao
Region III
June 12 - SM City Bataan
June 12 - SM San Jose del Monte, Bulacan June 12 - CDRRMC Training Center, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija
June 12 - SM Telabastagan
June 11 - Bulwagan ng Kanlahi, San Vicente, Tarlac City
June 11- Zambales Gymnasium, Zone VI, Iba, Zambales

CALABARZON
June 12 - SM City Dasmariñas, Cavite
June 12 - PGL Extension Office, Barangay Halang, Calamba City

MIMAROPA
June 12 - Bulwagang Panlalawigan, Provincial Capitol Complex, Brgy. Camilmil, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro
June 12 - Looc Public Plaza, Romblon
June 12 - Multi-Purpose Building, Brgy. Capaclan, Romblon, Romblon

Region V
June 12 - SM City Legazpi, Albay

Region VI
June 12 - Robinsons Place Iloilo

Negros Island Region
June 12 - Robinsons Place Dumaguete
June 12 - SM Bacolod

Region VII
June 12 - Carmen Cultural Center, Carmen, Bohol
June 12 - SM Seaside, Cebu City

Region VIII
June 12 - Robinsons North Tacloban
June 11 - Provincial Capitol Gymnatorium, Brgy. Dalakit, Catarman, Northern Samar
June 12 - Sogod Municipal Gymnasium Sogod Southern Leyte
June 17 - LGU Kanagga Leyte
June 18 - Visayas State University, Baybay, Leyte
June 19 - Samar Convention Center

Region IX
June 12 - KCC Mall de Zamboanga
June 12 - Gaisano Grand Mall

Region X
June 12 - SM Downtown Cagayan de Oro

Region XI
June 12 - SM City Davao

Region XII
June 12 - SM City General Santos

Caraga
June 12 - Robinsons Place Butuan, Agusan del Norte
June 12 - Sports Oriented Gymnasium, Gov. D.O. Plaza Sports Complex, San Francisco, Agusan del Sur.

𝟗𝟓𝐊 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐇𝐎 𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐇𝐈𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐘 𝐒𝐀 𝐈𝐘𝐎 𝐒𝐀 𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐖 𝐍𝐆 𝐊𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐀𝐍!

Naghahanap ka ba ng trabaho?

Punta ka sa Trabaho Agad job fairs na hatid ng Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) bilang pagdiriwang sa ika-128 na anibersaryo ng Araw ng Kalayaan.

Bahagi ang job fairs sa pagtugon ng pamahalaan ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa epekto ng gusot sa Middle East para sa mga trabaho ng mga Pilipino sa abroad man o sa Pilipinas. Kabilang ito sa United Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT).

Ang mga trabaho ay nasa larangan ng retail, manufacturing, construction, business process outsourcing, at accommodation at food service sector. Kabilang sa mga in-demand na trabaho ang mga sales clerks/store crew, production operator, construction worker, call center representatives, at service crew.

Para malaman ang lugar at schedule ng nasabing job fair, tingnan ang litrato sa ibaba o bisitahin ang link na ito: https://bit.ly/DOLEJobFair

𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐒 𝐒𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐒 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍, 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐏𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐘 𝐊𝐄𝐘 𝐔𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐓 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

The rise in the prices of goods and services slowed down in May, helped significantly by the targeted measures interventions under the Marcos administration's UPLIFT strategy to manage the impact of the Middle East crisis.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on June 5 that inflation slowed down from 7.2 percent in April to 6.8 percent in May, bringing the January to May average inflation rate to 4.5 percent.

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𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐒𝐒 𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐡𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏

To provide pensioners with early financial relief amid the domestic impact of the Middle East tension, the Social Security System (SSS) began releasing on June 1 the second tranche of pension hike for its 4.1 million pensioners under its Pension Reform Program (PRP).

SSS originally scheduled pension-increase rollout in September, but decided to advance the release to June to help pensioners cope with inflationary pressures and higher energy costs.

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𝟏𝟎 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐀 𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐆 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦

About 10 million Filipinos who travel by sea will not have to pay higher fares may now travel by sea at lower rates following the launch of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) Lakbay Alalay ng Gobyerno (LAYAG) program on May 25, 2026.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr), through MARINA, will subsidize ship passenger fares to ease the impact of high fuel prices on their travels.

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𝐔𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐓: 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐫

The outbreak of the Iran War in late February sent oil prices soaring. The impact on the Philippines was instant. Within days, local fuel prices rose to unprecedented levels.

The Marcos administration's response to cushion the impact on the economy and the daily lives of Filipinos was not just immediate; it was organized, coordinated and targeted.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. declared a state of national energy emergency to mobilize the whole of government, marshal all available resources and exercise emergency powers under existing laws.

He created the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT), not just to put government programs and interventions under one command, but to empower Filipinos to overcome the impact and rise above the difficulties.

First on the agenda was ensuring the safety of Filipinos in the Middle East, almost all OFWs and their families. Working together, the Department of Migrant Workers, Department of Foreign Affairs, and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration have brought home and extended various forms of assistance to 12,142 Filipinos overseas as of May 24, 2026.

Help does not stop at repatriation. Through the National Reintegration Network, OFWs are given three Ks:

• Kalinga, for health and psychosocial support and counseling;
• Kalaman, to upgrade their skills and knowledge, finish their college degrees through the equivalency program, learn financial literacy, or train in business and entrepreneurship; and
• Kabuhayan, to help them find new employment or put up a business with financial assistance.

To secure fuel supply, the Department of Energy (DOE) and DFA facilitated importation from nontraditional sources. Through the Philippine National Oil Company, the government also bought fuel to raise the inventory to as long as 54 days. The diesel bought by PNOC is now being sold at subsidized rate to power providers in areas not connected to the main grid to ensure continuous power supply.

To help workers in the transport sector and prevent fare hikes, the Department of Social Welfare and Development extended cash assistance to nearly 1.5 million drivers of all types of public-utility and delivery vehicles.

As of 14 May, more than 760,000 drivers have PhP10-per-liter fuel subsidy from the Department of Transportation while 16,339 vehicles have signed up for service contracting to help them defray the cost of fuel and avoid disruption in transport service. Millions of commuters have also received fare discounts in PUVs, LRT and MRT or enjoyed free bus rides.

To mitigate the impact of fuel costs on food, the Department of Agriculture extended fuel subsidy and tollway discounts to truckers and movers of farm produce, and provided assistance to farmers and fisherfolk. The DA also expanded the PhP20 rice and Kadiwa stores.

The administration has also put a cap on rice prices and continues to distribute free rice under the Bawat Bayan Makikinabang program in partnership with local government units.

To help households and small businesses, President Marcos also suspended the excise tax on liquefied petroleum gas and kerosene.

But the domestic problems caused by the Middle East crisis are far from over. As the situation gradually returns to normal, the work shifts to mitigating lasting impact on the economy, keeping poverty in check and insulating the country from future oil shocks.

𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐔𝐄𝐋-𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐅 𝐓𝐎 𝐃𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐒

Consumers will feel relief this week as the Department of Energy (DOE) announced cuts in fuel prices ranging from PhP4 to PhP10 per liter.

Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said that starting June 2, the price of diesel will be reduced by at least PhP9.26 per liter, gasoline by PhP4.76 per liter, and kerosene by PhP10.86 per liter.

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𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐒 𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐏𝐆 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐘 𝐀𝐒 𝟐𝟏,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐂 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐏𝐍𝐎𝐂 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐄

Households and small businesses that rely on liquified petroleum gas (LGP) for cooking have been assured of steady supply with the arrival of 21,000 metric tons of LPG imported by the Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC).

PNOC’s importation is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure the constant and accessible domestic fuel supply as part of the measures under the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Fuel and Transport framework to address the impact of the Middle East crisis.

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