Technical workers, firms that employ them still clustered around NCR — PSA

THE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said establishments engaged in professional services, scientific and technical activities generated gross revenue of P209.2 billion in 2014.

In a report, the 2014 Annual Survey of Philippine Business and Industry (ASPBI), the PSA said the sector employed 101,352 workers and that architectural and engineering workers topped the category, making up 217 of the 890 establishments employing 20 or more workers.

Advertising was the next most common form of professional establishment at 169, while management consultancies numbered 130, the PSA said.

Professional, scientific and technical jobs are significant for the economy because the workers in the sector are among the most qualified in the country, attracting commensurate pay. The location of such jobs is also an index of how concentrated wealth is in certain parts of the country.

The PSA said the National Capital Region (NCR) accounted for 744 of these establishments or 83.6% of the total while the rest of Luzon hosted 64. The number for the Visayas was 55 while 27 were in Mindanao.

In terms of jobs, the NCR accounted for 81,059 employees in the sector, or 80%. This was followed by Rest of Luzon with 12,878 employees and Visayas with 6,193 employees.

According to PSA, the average annual compensation an employee in the sector received in 2014 was P389,425, translating to a total of P39.1 billion compensation paid by the sector to workers in 2014.

Architectural and engineering establishments and related technical consultancies paid compensation of P10.7 billion, the PSA said, followed by management consultancy at P10.4 billion and advertising at P4.4 billion. —