Manila: Despite the continued improvement in the labor market, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said enhancing job quality and improving the income of Filipino workers are still the government’s top priorities. “We are sustaining our efforts to enhance all dimensions of our labor market. The government is urgently addressing the constraints to high-quality job creation and collaborating with the private sector to capacitate our workers with the right skills and competencies simultaneously,” NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that the country’s employment rate rose to 96.3 percent in September this year from 95.5 percent in the same month in 2023 and 96.0 percent in August. The unemployment rate also recorded a significant decline, settling at 3.7 percent from 4.5 percent in September last year and 4.0 percent in August this year.

Balisacan said the governmen
t will continue to implement supply- and demand-side interventions to achieve the quality employment targets set in the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028. He added that fast-tracking the implementation of key infrastructure projects, particularly in energy, logistics, and physical and digital connectivity, remains critical to unlocking the country’s growth potential.

“The passage of the Konektadong Pinoy Bill and expanding efforts to equip the workforce with emerging and in-demand skills are deemed necessary. We will strengthen collaboration with the private sector and academe to upskill the workforce, particularly in using digital technologies and other innovations,” said Balisacan. He also said that the passage of the Lifelong Learning Bill and Enterprise Productivity Act will further improve the employability of the Filipino workforce.

Balisacan said the government is now working to finalize the Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) Plan. Signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos in September last year, the Trab
aho Para sa Bayan Act mandates the creation of the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Plan for national employment generation focused on increasing both the number and quality of employment opportunities in the country, as well as enhancing the employability of Filipinos.

The 10-year roadmap will include strategies to encourage investments in priority sectors, improve the employability of the current and future workforce, and enhance labor market governance for the next decade. The NEDA said the TPB Secretariat concluded its regional consultations in October this year and is set to begin drafting the plan, which is targeted to be finalized by the end of 2024.