Cendaña: National youth commission

HOW about the youth?

International Labor Day celebrations are not normally focused on young people when they should be also be the front and center. Work is very much a core youth concern specially in the context of young people in the Philippines.

The 2014 Labor Force Survey (LFS) revealed that 38 percent of the total labor force in the country is from the youth sector. The Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) among the 15-30 years old is 54.4 percent. Even among the 15-19 years old who ideally should still be in school, the LFPR is 30.3 percent. It is 64.6 percent for the 20-24 ages and the highest participation rate is among the 25-30 age bracket, 73.5 percent.

The youth LFPR in the Cordillera Administrative Region is slightly higher than the national average at 55.7 percent.

Looking into labor issues using youth lens is crucial not just because of the sheer number of young people in the labor force but also because of their vulnerability and the complications they have to contend with as they join the job market.

Socio-economic conditions like the uneven economic development, wealth redistribution and access to education and training impact on the participation and, more importantly, the non-participation of young people in the labor force. These conditions render them vulnerable resulting in high unemployment rate among the young. The 2014 LFS highlighted this concern as out of the total 2.9 million unemployed persons in the country, about 2.1 million or 71.1 percent of them belong to the youth sector. In 2013, the unemployment rate among the youth at 13.3 percent is almost twice the national unemployment average of 7.1 percent.

Underemployment is an equally pressing concern. Experts point out that this is a more urgent problem. In the 2013 Philippine Development Report, World Bank Philippines noted that most unemployed persons are youth, those with tertiary education, and rich who can manage to be unemployed for the meantime but those who are underemployed usually cannot afford to be unemployed.

Underemployment exposes the level of inequality in the labor force. The lack of opportunities and desperation lead young highly-skilled workers to settle for low paying jobs and even on a part-time basis.

Vulnerability is also a very much pressing concern. In 2011, 31 percent of the 4.1 million employed youth were considered vulnerable workers.

Vulnerable workers face the risks of exposure to hazardous working conditions, domestic violence or inadequate social security. They usually have no formal working arrangements and lack decent working conditions.

The National Action Plan on Youth Employment and Migration (NAPYEM) has a spot-on diagnosis of the problem. The plan pointed out that education is a first step to decent work and employment opportunities second. Those who drop out of school are forced to enter the labor force during their adolescent years. For those with tertiary level education, many cannot be absorbed by the labor market due to lack of skills or qualifications. Young people were found taking on any type of work and were often working below their potential, in part-time, temporary, casual or seasonal employment.
Addressing the precarious situation of the youth in relation to employment requires concerted efforts among government, private sector and civil society. This requires overhauling the education system, translating the economic growth being enjoyed by the country now to actual jobs and ensuring decent work. In short, put the youth in front and center. –PERCI CENDAÑA, Sunstar