Underemployment rate declines, unemployment rate remains unchanged in February

Although the country's unemployment rate decreased to 4.8 percent in February, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), finding stable employment is still a problem for many Filipinos. An additional 1.5 million Filipinos joined the labor force each month, bringing the rate of participation in the labor force up to 66.6 percent. But not every job seeker was successful in getting hired.

From 14.1 percent in January and 14 percent a year ago, the underemployment rate decreased to 12.9 percent. Arsenio M. Balisacan, secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), said the improving employment statistics only point to a steady recovery of the Philippine labor market.

The quality of employment across sectors can still be improved, but there are still obstacles. The first steps in the plan to develop high-quality employment opportunities are to increase investment, enhance the regulatory environment, and increase workforce awareness.

The amended Public Service Act's Implementing Rules and Regulations have been made public by NEDA, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) offers three-year diploma programs, ladderized programs, and micro-credentialing. To improve workforce competencies, DICT has partnered with a number of IT and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) companies.