PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE/ FACEBOOK
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday emphasized the urgent need to upskill Filipino workers to keep pace with rapidly shifting global labor demands.
Speaking at the Job Fair + Skills e-Hub at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, Marcos said the country must adapt as technology reshapes industries and creates new skill requirements.
He expressed confidence that Filipino talent can “keep pace, even lead,” when provided with adequate support and opportunities.
Addressing job seekers, Marcos urged them to embrace learning, acquire new competencies, and stay open to evolving ways of working.
He also encouraged entrepreneurs to showcase their creativity and innovation, calling the job fair a platform for building stronger economic participation.
Marcos asked employers to invest in continuous training for workers while assuring them that his administration would maintain a fair and transparent business environment.
He said the partnership-driven job fair initiative has already resulted in at least 200,000 Filipinos being hired on the spot nationwide.
The President’s remarks came a day after government data showed the unemployment rate rose to 5 percent in October from 3.8 percent in September.
Underemployment likewise increased to 12 percent in October from 11.1 percent in the previous month, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
The PSA attributed the higher figures to a larger labor force waiting to be absorbed and slower hiring in the construction sector.