Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
Early this month, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that an estimated 2.27 million Filipinos were jobless in July 2023.
While the figure is lower than a year ago, it is nevertheless a huge number.
Likewise, it reported that 7.1 million workers were underemployed in the same period or an underemployment rate of 15.9 percent, higher than the 13.8 percent rate a year ago.
Underemployment is when individuals work in jobs below their qualifications or desired level, including part-time work instead of full-time employment, or when they cannot find a job that suits their skills and expertise.
These challenges in the labor sector are expected to be addressed after President Marcos signed Republic Act No. 11962, the “Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act,” on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023.
The new law calls for the creation of a national master plan to address unemployment, underemployment, youth unemployment, and reintegration of overseas Filipino workers.
“The law will help us solve the various challenges plaguing our labor sector, such as low-quality jobs, skills mismatch, and underemployment, among others. It likewise addresses the need to update the skills of our workers and promote the use of digital technologies, particularly for our micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs),” he said in his speech following the signing.
President Marcos assured businesses, particularly MSMEs, that the government will continue providing support and other incentives, such as increased access to financing and capital to promote self-reliance and spur employment generation.
The Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act will also provide incentives to employers, industry stakeholders, and private partners who facilitate skills development, technology transfer, and knowledge sharing among businesses and workers.
Under the new law, the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Inter-Agency Council (TPB-IAC) will be created to craft a master plan for employment generation and recovery — focusing on improving the employability and competitiveness of Filipino workers through upskilling and reskilling initiatives. This council will be led by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chief.
The inter-agency council is tasked to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the country’s employment status and labor market and ensure the effective use of resources, harmonizing and complementing all government efforts. It will assist local government units in planning, devising, and implementing employment generation and recovery plans and relevant programs within their respective localities.
“With this concerted effort, I am confident that we will not only achieve the goals of this law, but we will also realize our vision of Bagong Pilipinas,” Marcos said.
Crucial in attaining the goal of this new law is skills development. A continuing education, training, and development is necessary for the workforce to keep in step with the fast evolving labor sector environment, especially with the current pace of the digital transformation. This is the reason the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act is providing incentives to stakeholders who endeavor into upskilling, technology transfer, and knowledge sharing.
Without upskilling, one is certain to be left behind in this fast-paced and technology-driven environment.
We look forward to the time when joblessness will be pruned down to a bare minimum. This is attainable with a collective effort.
Credit belongs to: www.mb.com.ph
