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THE TRADE Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) on Tuesday urged the government to settle internal labor problems to attract more foreign direct investments (FDI).

The state should invest in education and nutrition to fix its labor woes, TUCP legislative officer Carlos Miguel S. Oñate told a news briefing.

“We have to invest in education and skills training, which are very important because jobs are changing,” he said in mixed English and Filipino. “It’s no longer the usual middle-skilled work. We are now moving towards green jobs and digital jobs. Unfortunately, once again, we are lagging behind.”

He added that a P150 across-the-board legislated wage hike could boost consumption.

Mr. Oñate cited the poor performance of Filipino students in the Programme for International Assessment, adding that a wage hike would ensure workers could provide healthier and more nutritious food for their children.

The regional wage board of the National Capital Region approved a P35 wage hike that will take effect on July 17.

The Senate in February passed a P100 minimum wage hike for private workers, while the House of Representatives has yet to vote on a similar measure.

A dialogue between labor groups and President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. is a key step in solving labor problems, Mr. Oñate said.

Paul C. Gajes, another TUCP legislative officer, called for the review of the K to 12 program.

He said K to 12 was designed to help graduates become work-ready, but graduates have a hard time finding jobs if they are not college graduates.

Mr. Gajes said Filipino workers should be upskilled and reskilled so they can be ready for green and better jobs, “especially with the advent of artificial intelligence.” — Chloe Mari A. Hufana