ILOILO City – The regional director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Western Visayas underscored to job hunters and even to those already employed the importance of “upskilling”.
This will open better job opportunities, said Rebecca Rascon during May 1’s Labor Day program and job fair at SM City Iloilo.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Region 6 earlier reported that the underemployment rate in Region 6 in 2021 doubled from 2020’s rate.
National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) regional director Meylene Rosales said the underemployment or number of workers who need longer working hours or higher paying jobs as they settle with part-time arrangement increased by 105 percent in 2021.
“Kon may skill ka, you will get better opportunities kon mag-apply ka. If you don’t have improved skills, you’ll end up sa indi masyado manami nga trabaho,” said Rascon.
DTI-6 joined the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 6 and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in marking Labor Day themed “Matatag na Manggagawa, Matatag na Bansa.”
“The increase of the underemployment level is a reminder that much has to be done to improve the quality of work,” Rosales emphasized.
Rosales also stressed that underemployment shows the real picture in the employment situation.
“Nagpapakita ito ng totoong picture sa employment situation maski mataas yung employment rate natin….This signifies that people who are employed, who already have jobs, are actually not earning enough to meet their needs. That is why they need additional jobs,” said Rosales.
DOLE and TESDA work together to identify the needs of the industry. DTI, on the other hand, is assisting different industry clusters.
“We noticed that sometimes kulang sa skills ang ginakuha nga mga trabahador. But where do they go? How are we going to identify kon ano gid ang kinanglan nila? I think there is a need to revisit our programs to address this gap,” said Rascon.
She also challenged concerned agencies to really find out what the needs of the industry sectors are and how else to upskill the labor sector to meet the industry’s needs.
“Our purpose is to provide opportunities for betters or decent jobs that give salaries, which in turn will enable employees to live with dignity. Happy ka sa trabaho because ang serbisyo nga ginahatag mo is well-compensated,” Rascon stressed.
Aside from the job fair, other events during Labor Day included an entrepreneurial summit (Entrepreneurial Mind Setting and Business Idea Generation) and skills demonstration (fabric/textile painting on bags and clothing line).
DOLE regional director Atty. Sixto Rodriguez Jr. said through the Labor Day activities they aim to help Ilonggos displaced from their jobs because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
More than 10,000 job offerings, both local and abroad, were up for grabs during yesterday’s jobs fair.
“Ang ating hiling at panalangin ay sana lahat magkakaroon ng sapat at marangal na trabaho at negosyo,” said Rodriguez.
He also read a message from DOLE secretary Silvestre Bello who thanked and recognized importance and contribution of the labor sector in the continuing recovery and progress of the economy.
The Labor secretary also announced that this year, the firs-ever hospital for overseas Filipino workers and their families will be opened “as a fitting tribute to our modern-dat heroes who have kept the economy afloat during pandemic.”/PN
