Philippines Sees Employment Rebound in Second Half Driven by Construction and Seasonal Hiring

The Department of Economic Planning and Development (NEDA) expects a rebound in job creation in the coming months, driven by seasonal hiring for the Christmas period and an anticipated recovery in the construction sector. "We expect some recovery in the second half especially in the fourth quarter, because some of the problems in the third quarter will also be really partially resolved, like the slowdown in construction," Economy Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan told reporters on the sidelines of the Luzon Economic Corridor Investment Forum last week. Philippine unemployment rate rose to a four-year high 6.01% in July from 5.3% a year earlier, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. Asked to comment, Management Association of the Philippines President Donald Patrick L. Lim said artificial intelligence is disrupting the jobs sector, but noted that this is happening across the region. "I think every ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) country will be hit," he told reporters on the sidelines of an event last week. "There will be a momentary loss of employment, and it’s a race (to determine) which country and sector will drive a bridge toward employability," Mr. Lim said. The International Labour Organization said 12.7 million jobs in the Philippines have some potential exposure to generative AI. Instead of AI tools, Mr. Lim said schools should focus on teaching humanities, discernment, critical thinking, and creativity. "It’s not about how to master all these AI tools, but to ask what are the right questions," he said. "When you look at AI, you have to teach the humanities more than the tech." — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz