Thousands of workers gathered at various venues across the city Friday to mark the 124th Labor Day, as labor unions renewed calls for a significant wage increase and government officials addressed the region’s unemployment figures.

The celebration was underscored by a push from the Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) for a P1,200 national minimum daily wage hike. Union leaders argued that current pay scales in the region are no longer sufficient to keep pace with the rising cost of living.

Addressing the region’s labor gap, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) reported that 179,000 people remain unemployed across Cebu and Bohol.

To help bridge this gap, a Labor Day job fair featured 5,002 vacancies from 20 local companies and three overseas employment firms.

Emmanuel Ferrer, DoLE-7 assistant regional director, told DAILY TRIBUNE that while the job openings are a positive step, the regional unemployment rate remains a significant hurdle.

Beyond employment and wages, government agencies showcased expanded social services for the workforce. The Pag-IBIG Fund announced it has more than 20,000 housing units available for the Visayas, with 12,000 units concentrated in the highly urbanized cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu.

The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. in Central Visayas also conducted registration for its Yaman sa Kalusugan Program, known as YAKAP.

The initiative provides workers with P20,000 worth of annual medical benefits, including free consultations, X-rays, ECGs and medicines.