THE Partido Manggagawa (PM) said Wednesday, July 8, 2026, that it was not surprised over the findings of a global analytics firm Gallup Inc. that Filipinos are the most stressed workers in Southeast Asia.
In a phone interview, PM chairman Rene Magtubo said they do not have any doubt on the results of the Gallup study regarding the stress in workplaces of Filipinos.
"Maraming dahilan kung bakit isa ang mga Pilipinong manggagawa sa mga pinaka-stress na empleyado sa buong Southeast Asia," said Magtubo.
(There are many reasons why Filipino workers are among the most stressed employees in Southeast Asia.)
The labor leader noted how their working hours are long, coupled with the heavy traffic and the cramped commute going to and from the workplace.
Magtubo also said wages still fall short of covering the family's daily needs, even as contractual workers are additionally stressed over potentially facing contract termination.
"Sino ba naman hindi ma-stress sa ganyang sitwasyon na nararanasan ng milyon-milyong manggagawa sa bansa?" he said.
(Who wouldn’t be stressed by the kind of situation experienced by millions of workers in the country?)
In its State of the Global Workplace 2026 report, Gallup said 50 percent of Filipino workers experienced stress for much of the previous day.
This is double the Southeast Asian average of 25 percent and well above the global average of 40 percent.
The PM head urged the government to take action and help ensure decent work for Filipinos.
"The government must address their decent work deficit—jobs in the country should be regular and provide a wage capable of supporting a family," said Magtubo. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)
