DEPDev, Australian program launch ‘Juana Trabaho’ to boost women’s employment

The Department of Economy, Planning and Development and the Australian government’s Investing in Women initiative launched a landmark program on Tuesday to expand access to quality jobs for Filipino women.

The initiative, titled “Juana Trabaho,” establishes a strategic framework and action plan to increase female participation in the workforce.

The launch coincides with National Women’s Month and aligns with the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Plan 2025–2034, which seeks to address labor market discrimination, skills mismatches, and the impact of artificial intelligence and climate change on the economy.

The program targets the persistent gap in the Philippine labor market, where domestic responsibilities and limited flexible work options keep female participation rates lower than those of men. Recent data from the Labor Force Survey showed the full-year women’s labor force participation rate fell to 53.7 percent in 2025 from 54.7 percent in 2024.

DEPDev Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the government intends to reverse this trend by modernizing employment strategies.

“This reality underscores why increasing women’s labor force participation is a clear priority of the Philippine government. Under the TPB Plan, we aim to raise female labor force participation to 59 percent by 2034. Achieving this requires not only creating quality, secure, and accessible jobs for women but also ensuring that these jobs align with emerging industry demands brought about by a modernizing economy,” Balisacan said.

The initiative is a key pillar of the Australia–Philippines Development Partnership Plan 2024–2029. Through the Investing in Women program, Australia provides support for policy reforms that promote gender-inclusive workplaces and a care economy that balances domestic responsibilities with professional growth.

Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Marc Innes-Brown said unlocking the full economic potential of women is critical for the country’s sustainable growth.

“Australia is proud to work closely with the Philippine Government to promote policy reforms that advance gender-inclusive workplaces, a care economy that supports women, and ensure women’s full economic participation. We welcome the combined efforts of government, business, and civil society to drive inclusive economic growth in the Philippines, powered by more quality jobs for women,” Innes-Brown said.

Juana Trabaho builds on previous research conducted by DEPDev and Investing in Women regarding inclusive flexible working arrangements and part-time work policies within the Philippine private sector.

As the primary socio-economic planning arm of the executive branch, DEPDev oversees the country’s public investment program and ensures national policies align with economic resources. Investing in Women, an Australian government initiative, continues to work with business leaders and policymakers in Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines to remove barriers to women’s economic participation.