The IBON Foundation, a private research think tank and advocacy group, has asked the government to focus more on developing local agriculture and industries to stem the worsening labor problem, which it described as a jobs crisis.
The foundation said labor force figures from January 2023 to January 2024 showed a substantial number of jobless Filipinos dropping out of the labor force because of poor work prospects.
The recent data on labor force, it said, showed a drop in employed persons, a phenomenal decrease in labor force participants and the swelling number of those not in the labor force, indicating that Filipino workers are discouraged.
The number of employed persons fell by a huge 1.4 million to 45.9 million from 47.4 million.
The labor force contracted by 1.6 million to 48.1 million, while those classified as not in the labor force increased by a whopping 3.2 million to 30.6 million.
This, despite the number of working age Filipinos or population 15 years old and above growing by 1.6 million to 78.7 million.
Murky statistics
IBON said despite the government's pronouncement that during the period mentioned, the number of unemployed decreased by 228,000 to 2.2 million from 2.4 million could also mean the likelihood of unemployed Filipinos leaving the labor force and no longer being counted among the officially unemployed.
The number of underemployed decreased by 260,000 to 6.4 million.
IBON also observed that a significant number of job losses were mainly in informal work. Self-employed persons fell by 1 million to 11.8 million, while unpaid family workers fell by 1.7 million to 2.1 million.
By hours worked, part-time jobs in agriculture dropped by 1.4 million, and in wholesale and retail trade by 1.3 million, likely because of the end of the cropping and holiday seasons, respectively, said IBON.
Agri, industries 'biggest losers'
Job losses were also mainly in sectors known for precarious work.
The number of those working in wholesale and retail trade fell by 1.5 million to 9 million, and those working in agriculture, forestry and fishing by 697,000 to 9.8 million.
The group also noted that employment in manufacturing decreased by 151,000 to 3.5 million.
Taken together with the job losses in agriculture, IBON said that the poor job creation in these production sectors shows how weak the Philippine economy is.
To generate sustainable and decent employment, the government should direct resources and support into boosting domestic agriculture and industries that serve and produce the Filipino people’s needs, instead of just relying on imports and foreign investments.
IBON said that decades of government obsession with foreign investment liberalization have not delivered on the promised benefits for the poor and vulnerable Filipinos.
Such obsession is actually stunting national development.
For the current administration to stay on the same failing course makes it difficult for the Philippine economy to create jobs and only worsens the condition of the labor force.
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