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Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano

Cayetano reiterates push for Labor Commission as jobless Filipinos reach 2.5 million

by Contributor July 15, 2026

written by Contributor

As the number of unemployed Filipinos rose to an estimated 2.5 million in May, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano reiterated his push for a long-term labor reform body to address not only unemployment but also the deeper problems affecting the quality and security of Filipino jobs.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the unemployment rate inched up to 4.8 percent in May from 4.7 percent in April, increasing the number of jobless Filipinos from 2.41 million to 2.5 million. Meanwhile, the underemployment rate eased to 12.2 percent from 15.2 percent a month earlier.

The latest figures come as Cayetano continues to advocate for the creation of the Executive-Legislative Labor Commission (LabCom), a priority measure he filed in July 2025 to craft long-term labor policies on wages, employment, worker protection, and other labor concerns.

“This body will convene representatives from Congress, the Executive branch, Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs), trade and industry, and the labor sector, including the migrant and informal sectors, to collectively pursue a sustainable solution to the living wage issue,” Cayetano said when he filed the measure.

He also argued that improving employment figures alone is not enough if workers continue to face wide wage disparities and slow access to labor justice.

During the Senate deliberations on the proposed 2026 budget of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Cayetano noted that prolonged labor cases often leave workers at a disadvantage because many cannot afford months without income while disputes remain unresolved.

“Marami talagang nawawalan ng gana na maghabol kasi walang kinikita habang umaandar ang kaso,” he said.

The proposed commission seeks to address these systemic issues through coordinated and evidence-based reforms, including industry-specific wage policies instead of one-size-fits-all approaches.

“The LabCom will not talk in generalities. It will come out industry specific,” Cayetano said.

He said the proposed commission ultimately aims to restore dignity to work and create opportunities that would allow more Filipinos to build their future in the country.

“Not only will this bring us closer to realizing the just and humane society envisioned by our Constitution, it will also help end the endless stream of Filipinos who are forced to leave their homes and families for what they hope would be greener economic pastures,” Cayetano said.

July 15, 2026 0 comments

News

Plunder case vs Marcoleta meant to silence flood control scam critics – Cayetano

by Contributor July 2, 2026

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SENATE Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday said the looming non-bailable plunder case against Senator Rodante Marcoleta is “nonsense” and only meant to create a “chilling effect” on those actively fighting to expose the truth behind the billion-peso flood control scam.

Cayetano made the remark in an ambush interview on June 30, 2026, when he joined the protest of over 10,000 Filipinos along EDSA to push back against law-bending, selective justice, and large-scale corruption in the government.

“Malinaw po sa akin na yung ginagawang ito ay panggigipit at injustice. Lutang na lutang na ito’y may kasamang chilling effect sa lahat ng tutuligsa sa gobyerno,” he said.

Marcoleta, who is part of the Senate Minority Bloc, is facing possible non-bailable plunder and indirect bribery charges that the Office of the Ombudsman said it is set to file before the Sandiganbayan over alleged campaign donations worth P75 million.

Marcoleta had led the Senate’s investigation into the flood control scam when he was chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee under then-Senate President Francis Escudero. He was later replaced by Senator Panfilo Lacson, who claimed last May that the committee found “no mastermind” behind the billion-peso corruption.

Cayetano said the case against Marcoleta is “nonsense,” adding that the ongoing debate over whether the case fits the parameters of the plunder law is exactly what the administration wants the public to do so that attention is diverted away from the “bigger picture.”

He said the same pattern was seen in the May 13, 2026 incident involving armed National Bureau of Investigation personnel in the Senate, when the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior and Local Government focused on smaller details instead of addressing the real issue of Senate independence.

“There’s a bigger picture, which is the numbers in the Senate,” he said. “Whether ang pag-uusapan natin ay majority ng Senate, two-thirds sa impeachment, or Charter Change, may implikasyon po ito (case versus Marcoleta).”

The Senate is set to begin the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on July 6, with the attendance and votes of senators directly affecting the proceedings.

Cayetano said the Minority Bloc had already expected more legal pressure from the administration after Senator Jinggoy Estrada was detained, noting that attempts to use cases against them started even before he became Senate President.

“Hindi lang naman si Senator Marcoleta, napakarami nang pinopormahan na ganito,” he said, intimating that he and the Minority Bloc had first received word on February 4 that if they became the Majority, the administration would use cases against them as leverage.

“Nung ako na umupo [bilang Senate President] at willing silang ipadala ang NBI na armado, not just once but twice sa Senado, tapos n’ung kitang-kita paano kinulong si Jinggoy, naging reality na sa amin ’to,” he added.

Cayetano said despite all this, the Minority will continue its fight against corruption and against the abuse of the country’s justice system.

“Lahat kami, we’re on borrowed time pero ipinasa-Diyos namin,” he said. “We continue to fight in various ways. Sabi ko nga, sa (pamamagitan ng) pinaka-simple pero pinaka-effective na prayer, pag-aaral, paghahanda, pag-e-expose, pagre-research.”

“Lahat ng Pilipino ay dapat lumaban para sa hustisya at dapat labanan ang injustice,” he added.

July 2, 2026 0 comments

Business

Cayetano backs bill setting wage floor for ‘pakyawan’ workers

by Contributor May 9, 2026

written by Contributor

SENATE Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano is backing a measure that seeks to establish clearer wage protections for piece-rate or “pakyawan” workers, many of whom reportedly earn below the legal minimum despite completing full workdays.

Cayetano is among the senators who signed Senate Bill No. 82, or the “Anti-Abuse of Pakyawan Workers Act” authored by Senator Raffy Tulfo, which aims to strengthen fairness and dignity in the labor sector by tightening rules on how output-based wages are computed and enforced.

“As part of honoring God and building communities through good governance, the State must promote human dignity in the labor sector and create a system where all persons are given the chance to thrive and rise,” he said.

“The hope of building a just and humane society will begin once we look beyond simply providing a minimum wage and start aiming for a living wage for all Filipinos,” Cayetano added.

The bill seeks to address gaps that have allowed some workers to receive compensation below the statutory minimum wage despite rendering a full day’s work, by requiring employers to ensure that “pakyawan workers” are paid no less than the prevailing minimum wage prescribed under Republic Act No. 6727.

The measure also mandates a Time and Motion Study (TMS) before any piece-rate system can be implemented or modified.

Employers, workers, or unions must apply with the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, with the TMS results serving as the basis for official Piece-Rate Orders that standardize output-based pay.

The proposal strengthens enforcement by requiring random inspections at least twice a year and mandating the presence of worker representatives during inspections, addressing concerns over gaps in monitoring actual workplace conditions.

It also introduces graduated administrative penalties for violations such as underpayment, nonpayment of statutory benefits, and non-compliance with approved wage orders, balancing stricter enforcement with due process considerations raised by labor agencies.

Cayetano linked the measure to his broader push for labor reforms, including his proposal to create a labor commission that would streamline the resolution of worker concerns.

“It’s not enough that we raise people’s pay by a small fraction. If we want real change, give people a more reasonable standard of living. Kailangan ngayon ng matapang na solusyon at mabilis na aksyon para sa bawat manggagawang Pilipino,” he said

May 9, 2026 0 comments

Education

Senate approves Cayetano’s private education voucher proposal on final reading

by Contributor May 7, 2026

written by Contributor

A PROPOSAL pushed by Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano to give disadvantaged K to 12 learners more school choices moved closer to becoming law on Monday, May 4, 2026, after the Senate approved a consolidated private education voucher bill on third and final reading.

Voting 22-0-0, senators passed Senate Bill No. 1981, or the proposed Basic Education Voucher Program Act, during the resumption of plenary session.

The measure incorporated key provisions of Cayetano’s Senate Bill No. 422, or The Learner’s Choice (TLC) Act of 2025, which seeks to give learners a government-funded voucher they can use in any DepEd-recognized private school of their choice.

Under the Senate-approved bill, priority will be given to learners from public schools officially found to be congested, especially those from low-income households.

The bill also covers disadvantaged learners, including persons with disabilities, orphans, learners in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, Indigenous Peoples, and beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

Cayetano, a former co-chairperson of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), said the measure would help uphold every Filipino child’s right to accessible and quality basic education, while helping resolve the long-standing problem of congestion in public schools.

“The Constitution guarantees the right of every Filipino to accessible and quality education at all levels and mandates the State to take appropriate steps to make such education available to all,” he said.

“I’d like to see the day na kapag pinanganak ka sa Pilipinas, regardless kung ano apelyido mo, kung mayaman ka o hindi, if you want to go to the best private school sa inyong province or city, you’ll have the opportunity to do that,” he added.

Cayetano filed the TLC Act in July 2025, patterned after Taguig City’s voucher program, which was recognized by EDCOM 2 and identified as a model program by DepEd.

The Senate-approved version retained the core idea of the TLC Act: assistance should follow the learner, allowing families to decide which school can best serve their child.

Unlike the existing Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education program, where subsidies are coursed through participating schools and limited by allocated slots, the proposed voucher would be learner-held and portable.

It also covers all basic education learners, unlike the E-GASTPE Law which only covers specific grade levels.

Safeguards and penalties proposed by Cayetano were also included in the Senate version to prevent ghost learners, delays, and other fraudulent practices.

The bill also directs the Department of Education to keep a public database of participating private schools, including tuition fees, program offerings, capacity, and key performance indicators.

With the Senate’s approval, the landmark measure is set to be reconciled with the House version before being sent to the President for signing.

May 7, 2026 0 comments

Education

Cayetano flags ‘wrong priorities’ in SUC funding

by Contributor April 21, 2026

written by Contributor

THE PROBLEM facing state universities and colleges (SUCs) is not a lack of funding, but how government resources are prioritized and used, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said on Thursday.

Speaking during the Cebu Technological University (CTU) Student Government’s Miting de Avance and Dialogue on April 16, 2026, Cayetano responded to a student’s question on infrastructure gaps, particularly in digital systems and classroom expansion.

The senator stressed that the government has sufficient funds, but inefficiencies arise from how these are allocated.

“6.8 trillion is not a small budget,” he said, referring to the 2026 national budget. “The question is, are we using it wisely?”

Cayetano explained that public discourse often focuses on cutting budgets when controversies arise, such as in flood control spending, instead of addressing deeper issues.

“The problem is not the funds, the problem is corruption… When I was a young congressman, the budget of DPWH was P50 billion. Last year, the budget of DPWH was P1.1 trillion,” he said.

He also emphasized the importance of public awareness, particularly among the youth, in understanding how government budgets are used, saying this could help ensure better accountability.

To illustrate, Cayetano cited the experience of his home city of Taguig, where spending priorities were shifted toward education, particularly scholarships. This, he said, contributed to the city’s fiscal growth and expanded social programs.

The senator emphasized that improving outcomes in education and other sectors would depend not only on increasing budgets but on setting the right priorities, curbing corruption, and empowering citizens to be more informed.

“How do we change? Well, one, the way we changed in Taguig, we informed everyone. Tamang priorities, pagtutulungan ng mga tao, tanggalin ang corruption, but empowered pa rin y’ung mga tao,” he said.

April 21, 2026 0 comments

News

Cayetano urges lawyers to prioritize purpose in legal practice

by Contributor April 16, 2026

written by Contributor

LAWYERS must look beyond status, clients, and high-profile cases and instead anchor their work on purpose and faith.

This was the message of Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano during the dedication and blessing of the new law office of lawyer and pastor Atty. Jeremiah Belgica and his partners on April 15.

A lawyer himself, Cayetano spoke about mission, vision, and the deeper calling of the legal profession.

Cayetano said while the practice of law often draws attention to influence and success, lawyers are ultimately called to something greater that should guide their decisions and priorities.

“The Lord Jesus said, ‘Seek first My Kingdom and righteousness, and everything shall be added unto you,’” he said.

He stressed that this principle should shape how lawyers approach their careers, especially in choosing what to pursue and who to serve: “Don’t seek VIPs (very important persons).

Seek very important believers – VIBs, not VIPs. Don’t seek those big cases, those big clients, et cetera. Just seek God’s righteousness and his kingdom,” he said.

Cayetano said that when purpose comes first, growth and success in the profession will naturally follow even without actively chasing them. He pointed out that many of the country’s challenges cannot be addressed by legal or political solutions alone, as they stem from deeper issues that require a different kind of response.

“Our problem is not legal. Our problem is not political. There’s an oil crisis, but our problem is not just economic or financial. Our problem is [also] spiritual,” he said.

According to Cayetano, addressing these deeper concerns can lead to broader solutions across different sectors, including governance and the economy. “When we solve that, the doors of heaven will just open, and the political, economic, and social solutions will come,” he said.

Cayetano encouraged the lawyers present to stay grounded in their values as they begin a new chapter in their profession and to carry their role with purpose in mind. “Be the salt and light in everything,” he said.

April 16, 2026 0 comments

News

Cayetano highlights need to shift from reactive to proactive crisis management

by Contributor April 12, 2026

written by Contributor

SENATE Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano is calling for a shift in how the government handles crises, urging stronger preparation, deeper review of past actions, and a more deliberate approach before responding to emerging threats.

In a recent livestream, Cayetano said effective governance should begin long before a crisis unfolds, stressing that early recognition of risks allows the government to act more decisively.

“Alam natin na kung hindi man crisis, yung potential for crisis [naroon.] That’s why maraming bansa [ang] nag-create ng separate crisis committee kasi you have to continue governing, but you also have to have your contingency plans and the actual reaction whether relief iyan or on-the-spot reforms,” he said.

He emphasized the need to “review and rewind” before making decisions and warned that failure to learn from past mistakes can lead to bigger problems.

“Napakaimportante ng review at rewind. Bakit? Para hindi mo maulit y’ung problema. Para hindi maulit y’ung mali. A problem should be met by a solution, not with a bigger problem,” he said.

Cayetano said without this step, the government risks repeating the same errors. He also underscored the importance of accurate data in both planning and response, noting that wrong information leads to flawed policies and poor delivery of aid.

“If we don’t learn our lessons, we’ll keep having bigger problems. Kung mali ang facts natin, mali rin ang conclusion natin,” he said.

The Minority Leader added that preparation must reflect real conditions on the ground as challenges differ across regions.

“Hindi pwedeng ‘one size fits all’… kailangan personalized iyan. Kailangan nakatutok iyan sa sitwasyon ng lugar,” he said.

Cayetano said while the government’s crisis response is improving, the people are expecting a “coordinated, comprehensive” approach.

He added that preparation also requires focus and foresight, encouraging Filipinos to take part in building a more responsive system.

“Pray for specific points so that we will always be more prepared and we can plan better. That way, we can leverage and have a better response sa lahat ng problema ng ating bansa,” Cayetano said.

April 12, 2026 0 comments

News

Cayetano: God can still use PH amid national problems

by Contributor April 9, 2026

written by Contributor

FILIPINOS can continue to rely on God for guidance amid economic difficulties and political tensions, trusting that He can also use the country despite these challenges.

In his CIA 365 vlog on Facebook on Tuesday, April 7, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano shared his ‘3Ps framework’ – purpose, potential, and power — and explained how it applies to both the nation’s current situation and everyone’s personal life.

“Sobrang daming pagsubok ang ating dinadaan and everyone is telling us that it will get worse with what’s happening… But remember that God always gives hope, always gives an answer,” he said.

Cayetano said the 3Ps can apply to the country, stressing that God can use the Philippines as an instrument of blessing or use other nations to help Filipinos in times of need. He cited the Biblical story of Joseph, where one nation was able to help others survive a crisis.

“Nagkaroon ng napakalaking famine, pero ginamit si Joseph. Noong marami pang ani, nakapag-store siya sa warehouse. Kaya ginamit ang Egypt noon. Kaya pwedeng gamitin ni Lord ang kahit anong city at kahit anong probinsya. Pwedeng gamitin ni Lord ang Pilipinas o pwedeng gamitin yung iba at maging blessing sa atin,” he said.

On a personal level, he said every person is given a purpose by God along with the potential and resources needed to fulfill it. He cited his own work on legislation to strengthen Filipino families, saying that if God intends for him to accomplish more, God will provide the ability and support needed to accomplish it.

“If God meant to sponsor 10 (laws) and I only sponsored five, hindi ko nagawa ang potential ko. And if talagang 10 (laws) yung purpose ko, bibigyan Niya ako ng power at ng resources para doon sa 10 (laws),” Cayetano said.

April 9, 2026 0 comments