10-year jobs masterplan to address skills mismatches

THE National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and other government agencies said they will begin drafting a 10-year jobs masterplan to address the skills mismatch issue and better link workers to employment opportunities.

In a briefing, NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said the 10-year Trabaho Para sa Bayan plan will outline the government’s views on how the domestic and global labor markets will evolve.

“Then, we move backward to see how we can establish milestones on the way to the 10th year,” he said

The masterplan will focus on job generation in the creative and service sectors and is expected to be completed within the year, he said

NEDA heads the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Inter-Agency Council, which includes the Labor and Trade departments.

The three agencies on Tuesday signed the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 19962 or the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed the measure into law in September.

“With the proper implementation of this landmark act, we will facilitate stronger coordination and partnerships among relevant agencies and stakeholders to help implement programs to raise productivity,” Mr. Balisacan said during the IRR signing.

The law is expected to reinforce linkages between industries, the academic industry, and government to address the skills mismatch and boost the competitiveness of Filipino labor.

The jobless rate rose to 4.5% in January from 3.1% in December. It was lower than the 4.8% reading in January 2023.

Mr. Balisacan said possible wage hikes could be part of “very short-term measures” in the jobs plan.

“But nonetheless, we want to make sure that those short-term measures do not paralyze us.

Mr. Balisacan earlier warned that micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) may not be able to afford legislated wage hikes.

The last legislated national wage hike was in 1989. Since then, rates have been decided by regional wage boards.

The House of Representatives will continue deliberations on the proposed P150 and P750 wage hike bills this week. It is also studying a P350 to P400 wage proposal.

The Senate last month passed its proposed P100 wage hike on third and final reading. —