Mong Palatino

I was compelled to gather some employment statistics when I was invited to discuss the youth situation in a university job fair last week. I got a copy of the Department of Labor and Employment’s Project Jobsfit August 2010 study on employment prospects in the Philippines. Here are some of the interesting and relevant findings of the report:

2009 Top employment generators

• Real estate, Renting (11.8%)
• Electricity, Gas and Water (9.4%)
• Private households with employed persons
• Health and social work (7.6%)
• Education (6.2%)
• Hotels and Restaurants (6%)

The service sector has generated the most number of jobs in 2009. It is expected that this sector will expand further as the industrial and agricultural sectors continue to face bleak prospects. This can be blamed on the neoliberal economic policies of the government which have contributed to the decline of the domestic manufacturing and agricultural sectors of the country.

2008-09 Most number of graduates

• Business Administration – 114,000
• Education, Teacher – 96,000
• Medical and allied professionals – 87,000
• Engineering – 63,000
• IT – 49,000

Nursing is down; enrolment in HRM and IT is increasing. Business Administration and Teacher Education are traditionally the most popular courses in college. Recently, the Commission on Higher Education announced a moratorium on the creation of new business and teacher courses.

2009 TESDA assessed graduates

• Health, Social, Community Development – 407,237
• Maritime Sector – 293,666
• Hotel, restaurant – 281,389

According to TESDA, the Maritime Sector has the highest ratio of students who immediately received employment certifications. The IT sector performed poorly in this indicator.

Top 12 Key Employment Generators

• Agribusiness
• Cyberservices
• Health and Wellness
• Hotel, Restaurant, Tourism
• Mining
• Construction
• Banking and Finance
• Manufacturing
• Ownership Dwellings and Real Estate
• Transport and Logistics
• Wholesale and Retail Trade
• Overseas Employment

This is based on the economic projections of DOLE and the priority economic activities of the government. Note that mining, cyberservices, and overseas employment are listed here since they are priorities of the past administration. Construction is expected to experience a boom in the next few years if the government’s Public Private Partnership program would deliver on its promises.

Hard to fill occupations

• Aqua-culturist
• Feed processor/Food technician
• Animator
• Optician
• Spa/Massage Therapist
• Baker
• Cook

For those interested to enroll in a second course or those who want to shift to another career, the list above can be a guide. The listing is provided by DOLE and private employers.

Four emerging industries

• Creative industries (3D Modelers, 3D Artist, 3D Animators, Flash Animators, System Analyst and Designers)
• Diversified/Strategic Farming and Fishing
• Power and Utilities (Electrical Control Operator, Equipment Operator, Electrical Technician, Mechanical Technician, Mechanic, Power Production Plant Operator)
• Renewable Energy

The last two items could explain why San Miguel and other conglomerates are shifting to power generation.

NEDA economic activities projection

• High value, FDI-led agribusiness
• Infrastructure
• Long term demand for OFWs
• Tourism
• Medical Tourism
• Retirement estates (Subic, NCR, Tagaytay, Cebu, Dumaguete)
• BPO
• ICT investments
• Real estate
• Shipbuilding
• Mining
• Renewable energy
• Food production

The list reveals the bias of our economic policymakers. We continue to be dependent on foreign direct investments and the sending (exporting) of our people to other countries. The Philippines is also aiming to be a retirement hub aside from attracting investments in medical tourism.

Job prospects (regions)

• Hotels, restaurants, tourism – NCR, II, III, IV-B, V, VI, VII, IX, X, CARAGA
• Health, wellness – NCR, CAR, III, IV-B, VI, VIII, X, XI, XII
• Cyber services – NCR, II, III, VI, VIII, X, XI, XII
• Transport – I, II, VI, X
• Banking, Finance – X, CARAGA
• Mining – II, III, IV-B, VI, IX, XI, XII, CARAGA

The transport industry got a boost from the RORO system devised during the Arroyo years. Meanwhile, the new administration intends to implement a RORO-like cold chain system for agricultural supplies. Tourism it seems is a priority in most regions. I’m quite worried that mining will continue to be a priority of the government.

Emerging industries (regions)

• Agribusiness – VIII
• Creative Industries – NCR
• Cyber services – CAR, IV-A, V, VIII, XII, CARAGA
• Diversified farming – CARAGA
• Education – II
• Furniture – VII
• Health, medical tourism – CAR, V, CARAGA
• Mining – I, VI, X

Cyber services (BPO sector) are focused in regions where education centers exist. Is furniture business an emerging industry in Cebu because of the global success of Kenneth Cobonpue?

NCR Employment Trends 2003-08

• Real Estate, renting
• Hotels, Restaurant, Construction
• Public administration, defense,
• Financial intermediation
• Transport storage and communication
• Wholesale and retail trade

Public administration and financial intermediation are top job generators in Metro Manila because it is the political and financial capital of the country. Defense is also a big industry for job hunters. Ask for a pabaon from the generals. Real estate is growing especially with all the condominium projects everywhere.

NCR emerging business districts

• North Triangle
• Araneta Cyber Center
• Greenhills redevelopment
• EDSA Central Robinsons Gateway Center
• Rockwell Center
• Fort Bonifacio Global City
• McKinley Hill
• SM Central Business Park
• Metropolital Business Park
• Newport City
• ASEANA IT Business Park
• Asiaworld City
• Madrigal Business Park
• Filinvest Corporate City

The service sector enclaves! Political organizing should also be developed in these office areas. North Triangle tops the list – will this mean that the urban poor communities in the vicinity will be demolished soon?

OFWs Top Demandable Category 2009

• Domestic helpers – 109,982
• Production – 36,212
• Nurses – 28,470
• Caregivers – 9,431
• Plumbers – 15,359
• Cooks -14,900
• Wiremen – 15,955
• Welders – 10,592

Despite Arroyo’s assertion that OFWs should be called expats, the data shows that we are still a nation known for having the most skilled domestic helpers in the world.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, February 3rd, 2011 at 8:29 am and is filed under economy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.