Manila: The administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is reaffirming its push for high-quality jobs, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said Tuesday as the country's underemployment rate declined in February this year.
According to Philippines News Agency, NEDA's statement came after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the country's underemployment rate, which measures workers seeking additional jobs or work hours, fell to 10.1 percent in February 2025 from 12.4 percent in February 2024.
The quality of employment continued to improve year-on-year, with more workers engaged in full-time employment (+1.7 million), middle- and high-skilled occupations (+1.1 million), and remunerative wage and salaried work (+151,000).
The unemployment rate, meanwhile, settled at 3.8 percent, better than the target range of 4.8 percent to 5.1 percent for 2025.
NEDA noted that the country's unemployment rate remains comparable to Asian economies, including Malaysia (3.1 percent) and Vietnam (2.2 percent), and lower than China (5.4 percent) and India (6.4 percent).
NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan stated the government's aim to swiftly pursue initiatives and fast-track the implementation of projects generating high-quality jobs. Balisacan highlighted the importance of securing strategic job-generating investments, promoting a dynamic business environment, and diversifying growth drivers. The continued rollout and implementation of high-impact infrastructure flagship projects, particularly in energy, transport, and digital connectivity, are expected to boost domestic employment and business activity.
Balisacan also emphasized the need to develop the Lifelong Learning Development Framework to foster continuous learning, allowing individuals to develop their skills, pursue higher studies, or acquire micro-credentials while working.
Partnerships with the private sector are set to be expanded to ensure that training programs are tailored to industry requirements, enhancing workers' skills and productivity, as supported under the Enterprise-Based Education and Training Framework.
The government is also preparing to launch the Trabaho Para Sa Bayan (TPB) Plan 2025-2034, which will focus on key employment strategies. These include programs to improve the competitiveness of the Filipino workforce, encourage innovation and promote technology adoption among enterprises, especially micro, small, and medium enterprises, and enhance labor market governance, including social protection programs.
