The growing manufacturing sector will continue to propel growth in the number of high-quality jobs in the country, the Department of Labor Employment (DOLE) said yesterday.
Citing the recent gross domestic product (GDP) report by the National Statistical Board Coordination Board (NSCB), Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz noted the gains made by the industry sector from April to June.
According to the NSCB report, the manufacturing and construction sector posted a 17.4 percent growth, which boosted the country’s industry sector by 10.3 percent.
In the Labor Force Survey in the same period, Baldoz said the number of workers with full-time employment rose by 15.3 percent or about 3.1 million workers, while the number of part-time workers dropped by 18.9 percent or about 3 million workers.
“We have noted a rapid growth in capital formation. We know for a fact that industry, such as manufacturing, has the ability to generate higher-quality and more permanent employment. Our challenge is to be able to respond to industry’s demand for more skilled workers in the near- and long-term,” Baldoz said.
She said DOLE will prioritize upgrading of skills of workers as well maintaining the harmonious labor-employer relations to maintain the environment conducive for the creation of stable and high-quality jobs.
In preparation for the expected surge in the demand of workers in the manufacturing and other key employment generator (KEG) in the coming months, DOLE has allotted P1.4 billion for the skills training program of the Technical Education and Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) next year.
This is twice the allotted P563 million budget for the skills training program this year.
The fund will be used to upgrade the skills of 186,667 trainees and for the apprenticeship program of 159,000 students.
Some of the budget will be also used for the assessment and certification of TESDA 904,000 workers next year.

Source: Manila Bulletin - September 3, 2013