Pagtatrabaho

Pagtatrabaho is a Filipino noun that refers to the act or state of working, including employment and labor. It is formed from the root word trabaho (to work) with the prefix pag- to indicate the action or condition. The term can denote any activity that involves performing tasks to earn a living, carrying out duties, or labor in general. It encompasses paid employment, unpaid labor, and seasonal or temporary work, as well as the broader concept of the world of work.

In everyday language, pagtatrabaho can describe someone's occupation or routine, as in "pagtatrabaho sa opisina" (working in an office) or "pagtatrabaho sa bukid" (farming work). In socioeconomic and policy contexts, it is used to discuss labor conditions, working hours, wages, job opportunities, and the rights and protections of workers. It also appears in discussions of labor markets, employment generation, and workforce development.

The term intersects with legal and institutional frameworks in the Philippines that govern employment relations, such as labor standards, safety, and collective bargaining, and it is commonly contrasted with the concept of trabaho as a concrete job or task. Related terms include manggagawa (worker), employer, trabaho (work or job), and samahan ng mga manggagawa (workers’ union). Pagtatrabaho remains a central concept in analyses of economic activity, social welfare, and development.