THE PHILIPPINE government on Monday launched a 10-year employment masterplan, which is targeting to increase the labor force participation rate (LFPR) to 68.2% by 2034.

“This is a very ambitious plan. If you look at the targets, it’s simple, we want to raise our LFPR from 64% to 68%,” Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Undersecretary Rosemarie G. Edillon told reporters on the sidelines of the launch on Monday.

“So, this is actually a big ask, especially since by 2035, the majority of the workforce will be coming from Gen Z and Gen Alpha. So, we actually need a big policy reform,” she added.

Launched by the DEPDev, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Department of Labor and Employment, the Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) Plan aims to strengthen and future-proof the country’s workforce.

Under the plan, the government set near-term and long-term initiatives aimed at addressing challenges faced by the local labor market, such as rapid digitalization, geopolitical tensions, climate change, and demographic shifts.

Ms. Edillon said that the country’s LFPR is the lowest among the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) countries.

“Taking out the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) years, our LFPR is about less than 65%, but for the other countries, it is actually in the high 60s. You have Vietnam over there with an LFPR in the high 70s,” she added.

Preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that LFPR in February was estimated at 64.5%. For the first two months, the average LFPR stood at 64.2%.

However, the new jobs masterplan did not indicate any targets on how many jobs will be created until 2034.

“The problem with having a target with respect to jobs is that it’s very difficult, especially since we are moving towards a framework for flexible work arrangements where it would be possible for you to hold more than one job,” said Ms. Edillon.

“We’re also moving towards having a framework for part-time jobs. So, it’s difficult [to see] how it will translate into the number of jobs,” she added.

Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma said that there have been previous targets to create a million jobs.

“But this does not ensure there will be enough jobs created for the new entrants (to the labor market),” he said.

“It’s not that simple to say that we want to create one or two million jobs by a certain year. What we want to see is that every Filipino family will have a job,” he added.

The TPB Plan also set a target of decreasing the unemployment rate to 3% by 2034 from 3.8% in 2024 and the underemployment rate to 7-9% from 13.3% last year.

In addition, the masterplan also aims to increase the female LFPR to 59% by 2034, which Ms. Edillon said is the lowest in the ASEAN region.

“Ours is about 48.8%, while in Vietnam it is actually 72.5%. So can you just imagine how much more human capital we could add if we could actually increase the LFPR for women?” she added.

The TPB Plan is also targeting to improve the country’s domestic industry diversification and production, as well as export complexity.

Citing the Global Innovation Index, Ms. Edillon said that the two factors measure the level of sophistication of the economy.

“That is actually the goal, that we will be a more competitive country before 2034. So that is actually the goal of the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document,” she added.

The TPB Plan outlines priority strategies that aim to address labor demand, supply, and governance, as well as how to future-proof labor demand, supply, and governance.

Strategies to ensure labor demand include expansion of market access, encouraging investments in priority sectors, ensuring ease of doing business, establishment of a dynamic innovation ecosystem, and promotion of technology adoption and enterprise-based education and training.

To improve labor supply, the TPB Plan recognized the need to expand lifelong learning opportunities, upgrade the design of skills training programs, enhance overseas Filipino reintegration programs, and increase program take-up among disadvantaged sectors.

Meanwhile, the TPB also cited 18 policy recommendations, which are seen to create an “inclusive and dynamic labor market environment.”

These policies include the Konektadong Pinoy bill, the Lifelong Learning Development Bill, tax incentives for employees on a work-from-home program, the Freelancers’ Protection Act, and the Amendment of the Maternity Leave Law, among others. — Justine Irish D. Tabile