The government exceeded its one million employment generation target last year, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said yesterday.
Citing the consolidated report from the Bureau Labor Employment Statistics (BLES), Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the country posted 1.156 million new jobs last year, which is 3.2 percent higher compared to the employment figure in 2012.
This exceeds the government’s projection of producing at least 1 million job per year in it Philippine Labor and Employment Plan from 2011 to 2016.
Baldoz attributed the growth in the employment figure to the robust increase in the service and agriculture sector last year compared to 2010.
This also contributed to the slight drop in the country’s unemployment rate from 7.4 percent in 2010 to 7 percent last year, she said.
“The sources of employment growth in 2011 were the services sectors, which grew by 3.8 percent, or 713,000 new employments,” Baldoz said.
“The agriculture, fishery and forestry sector also posted 0.7 percent increase or a 310,000 new employment,” she added.
However, she said the industry sector recorded a slowdown in its growth after only posting 2.4 percent increase last year compared to the 6 percent in 2010.
She also said the underemployment figure did not improve last year after it rose to 19.3 percent or an additional 400,000 workers seeking for better employment opportunities.
Baldoz earlier said DoLE plans to address this by allotting more budget for the training of workers so they could demand for better work opportunities.
She said if they are planning to maintain if not exceeded these employment figures this year.
“We are confident with the focus and vigor of the Aquino administration in the implementation of broad reforms in labor governance, the employment situation in 2012 will continue to be positive,” Baldoz said.

Source: Manila Bulletin - January 7, 2012