Marcos boasts increase in employment rate but job quality issues remain

MANILA, Philippines — During his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. praised the significant improvement in the employment rate in the Philippines this year from the low numbers during the height of the pandemic.

Based on the report of the Philippine Statistics Authority on July 7, the employment rate in May 2023 rose to 95.7%, or 48.26 million Filipinos, from 82.4% in April 2020, which shows a 13.3 increase.

Despite the high rate, Marcos stated that more has to be done to boost jobs for the remaining workforce and the underemployed Filipinos looking for better career options.

"But even with our current high rate of employment, we must do more. We will generate additional jobs for the remaining 4.3 percent of our workforce, as well as for the 11.7 percent underemployed Filipinos seeking better employment opportunities," Marcos said during his speech.

Some groups, however, lamented the president's promise on job quality.

Labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) said that the only numbers added to the employment rate are "low-quality jobs."

"Pinapalakas daw ang industriya. Pero ang naidagdag sa employment ay low-quality jobs na di tiyak at kalakhan nasa informal economy," KMU said.

(Marcos said the industry was strengthened. But what was gained were low quality jobs that are uncertain and majority of which are in the informal economy)

On the other hand, research institution IBON Foundation explained that despite the rise in the employment rate, most Filipinos take extra jobs and openly informal work to support their needs.

"Employment improved? What is the quality? 2 of 5 jobs are part-time or not at work, self-employed and openly informal work bloated by 1.8 million to 21.7 million or 45% of total employment," IBON Foundation said in a tweet.

"8 / 10 sa mga nalilikhang trabaho under BBM ay part time sa Pilipinas!! Mapanlinlang ang pangulo!" it added.

(8/10 of the jobs created under BBM are part-time jobs in the Philippines. The president is deceitful) —Intern, Bless Aubrey Ogerio