Quality jobs urged for young Filipinos

• Mar 23, 2023

TARGETED interventions are needed as young Filipinos were particularly hit in job terms by the Covid-19 pandemic, the World Bank said on Wednesday.

“The youth group was disproportionately affected by the pandemic shock on the labor market, and the scarring effect may stay long after the economic activities return,” World Bank Country Director said as the Washington-based multilateral released a Philippine jobs report.

“While conducive business environment policies will encourage quality job creation in the private sector, more targeted approaches to address youth challenges are urgently needed,” he added.

Even before the pandemic, over 60 percent of the youth population between 15 and 24 was out of the labor force and many remain jobless, the World Bank said in the report.

“While employment slowly returned with economic rebounding, after a massive job loss during the early period of the pandemic, high productivity occupations (e.g., professionals) did not return and elementary occupations filled the void,” it noted.

While employment overall may have returned to pre-pandemic levels, youth employment remained low as of last year, the World Bank pointed out.

Latest Philippine Statistics Authority data put the country’s unemployment rate at 4.8 percent in January this year, up from December 2022’s 4.3 percent and the 6.4 percent seen a year earlier.

Youth unemployment, meanwhile, was at 10.8 percent, up from 9.5 percent in December but lower than the 13.8 percent in January 2022.

Underemployment — a measure of job quality — worsened overall to 14.1 percent in January from December’s 12.6 percent. It was marginally better than the year earlier 14.9 percent.

Among the youth, underemployment worsened to 11.5 percent at the start of 2023 from 9.2 percent in December but was still better than the 12.7 percent seen in January last year.

“Active labor market programs including measures like skills training, job search assistance, wage subsidies, public works programs and entrepreneurship promotion should be further strengthened,” said Yoonyoung Cho, World Bank senior economist.

“These can be complemented by modernizing labor regulations through simplifying labor rules and providing guidance on flexible forms of work arrangement; expanding social insurance; and modernizing inspection and compliance verification systems through digital tools,” Cho added.

These policies and programs should be grounded on solid data, measurements and evidence, he stressed.

David Bungallon, executive director of the National Institute for Technical Education and Skills Development, said the government was working to address skills issues that were holding back bank further employment gains.

“On the part of Tesda (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority), we are now working out with NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority) about anchoring skills prioritization, skills anticipation, as far as emerging skills are concerned,” he added.

A primary objective for the government, Bungallon said, is developing an environment that has ample opportunities for the youth. This includes making them employable via digital and green skills.

The World Bank noted a growing global emphasis on a “green economy” and the changing nature of work.

“Green jobs come from activities to protect biodiversity, reduce waste and pollution, and conserve resources such as energy, materials and water,” it said.

“They can also be generated from strategies for greater energy efficiency and transitioning toward a decarbonized economy.”

It said the Philippines could benefit via the implementation of the Green Jobs Act of 2016, among others.

Targeted skills development, the creation of economic zones with green and digital jobs, and social protection for a digital workforce will generate more job opportunities and transform the economy, it added.

“Active labor market programs and interventions in these green and digital areas can be a useful strategy to create jobs and enhance workers’ employability in the post-pandemic economy, especially for the youth,” the World Bank said.

Source: https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/03/23/business/top-business/quality-jobs-urged-for-young-filipinos/1883926