FACTS ON COLLEGE AND EMPLOYMENT (draft only/for corrections)

Department of Labor and Employment

(A)

COLLEGE PEOPLE AND THE CHALLENGE OF EMPLOYMENT

Today, more than any other time before, there is a wider range of programs, services and
mechanisms, made available by the government to assist job seekers, including college
graduates, choose a proper career path, search for a job, and land decent and productive
employment.
Included in these are DOLE-led programs in convergence other government Departments,
agencies and sectors such as:
o

The Public Employment Service Office (PESO)

Job Placements. In 2013, the National Facilitation Service Network known as the PESOs
placed 1,305,576 Filipinos in decent, productive jobs and another 106,852 in
training/employability enhancement, for a total 1,561,000 placed, based on the preliminary data
of the DOLEs Statistical Performance Reporting System (SPRS) dated 06 January 2014.
Established PESOs. Nationwide, the number of established, DOLE-supervised PESOs in local
government units (LGUs), as school based units or with NGOs, have reached 1,887 as of 2013
December, of which 1,270 are operational. As of 2014 February, 305 of the PESOs have been
institutionalized.
PESO Mandate. Established under Republic Act No. 8759 or the PESO Act of 1999, the
PESOs objectives are to ensure the prompt, timely and efficient delivery of employment service
and provision of information on DOLE programs. For this purpose, PESOs are mandated to (a)
provide a venue where people could explore simultaneously various employment options and
actually seek assistance they prefer; (b) serve as referral and information center for the various
services and programs of DOLE and other government agencies present in the area; (c) provide
clients with adequate information on employment and labor market situation in the area; and (d)
network with other PESOs within the region on employment for job exchange purposes.
o

The Phil-JobNet system

Online Vacancies. In 2013, the Phil-JobNet system, the governments main job matching
portal hosted by the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) in the Internet, facilitated a total of
1,514,264 decent and productive job vacancies for jobseekers, which had been posted by
employers in its online facility accessible 24/7 both locally and globally through the URLs,
www.phil-job.net or www.phil-jobnet.dole.gov.ph.
Based on the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA 8759, the Phil-JobNet serves as
the basic Labor Market Information (LMI) system subject to continual upgrading and

enhancement, anent the DOLEs mandate to administer the PESOs and, developing and
maintain a computerized job matching facility easily accessible to the national facilitation
network and its clients.
o

Jobs Fairs:

Year-round jobs fairs in 2014. For 2014, there are some 343 job fairs scheduled nationwide
under the supervision of the DOLEs Regional Offices, the BLE and the PESOs.
Jobs faIrs results in 2013. In 2013, some 1,444 job fairs were conducted in the countrys 16
regions. The job fairs assisted a total of 632,284 applicants, resulting in the placement/hiring
on-the-spot (HOTS) of some 113,269 applicants who qualified for the vacancies facilitated by
about 24,000 participating employers.
Jobs fairs mandate under law. Based on the mandate of RA 8759, job fairs shall be
conducted by the PESOs periodically all over the country to bring together in one venue job
seekers and employers for immediate matching. Its IRR requires the PESOs, where
appropriate, to initiate and organize jobs fairs, alongside with self-employment bazaars, in
coordination with government and non-government institutions undertaking livelihood and selfemployment programs, prescribing furthermore that: jobs fairs conducted by private entities or
educational institutions shall be supervised and monitored by the PESO pursuant to DOLE
guidelines.
o

Labor Market Information (LMI)

LMIs disseminated. As of 2013, LMI disseminated mainly by BLE through the PESOs reached
2,138,899 individual Filipinos. The LMI consisted of labor market reports/publications prepared,
published and disseminated such as labor-supply demand profile, (skills supply
shortages/surpluses), employment situationers, industry profiles, and other LMI reports.
Students reached by LMI. Significantly, Students comprised more than two-thirds (2/3), or
789,885, of the 2,138,899 individuals reached by LMI locally and worldwide. The rest were
parents (69,880), researchers (10,218), jobseekers (1,327,399), institutions (22,517), schools
(6,697) and organizations (15,087).
LMI mandate. Based on the PESO Act and its IRR, LMI refers to any information concerning
the size, composition, functions, problems or opportunities of the labor market or any part
thereof, including but not limited to employment-related intentions or aspirations of labor market
clients.
Consistent with its mandate to ensure prompt, timely and efficient delivery of employment
services, the PESO shall ensure LMI services, including a venue where clients could avail
simultaneously various employment services such as LMI, referrals, training, self-employment,
entrepreneurial, reintegration and other services. For such purposes, it shall (a) market and
promote each services through all forms of media to all its labor market clients; (b) regularly
obtain a list of job vacancies from employers; (c) generate and maintain an updated registry of
skills; (d) gather, collate and process data or information on employment trends, particularly

labor supply and demand, and disseminate such data or information to labor market clients; and
(e) provide information on licensed or authorized recruitment agencies or recruiters for local and
overseas employment.
o

Career Guidance Advocacy Program (CGAP):

The CGAP Convergence. Under the Aquino III Administration, the Career Guidance Advocacy
Program functions as a DOLE-led, convergent initiative grounded on the mandates of several
agencies including the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE), Commission on Higher Education
(CHED), the Department of Education (DepED), the Department of Science and Technology
(DOST); and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
CGAP timeline for 2014. Students would be interested to know that in 2014, CGAP activities in
pursuance of the Career Guidance Advocacy Plan 2013-2016 have been lined up across the
Philippines, tentatively, as follows: (a) the 2nd National Career Advocacy Congress on May; (b)
development of a Social Networking Page on CGAP courtesy of DOST; (c) Science Camp,
Tagisang Robotics, and Career Talks (DOST); Career Fairs and Jobs Bridging (TESDA);
Conduct of Career Guidance Week (CGW) by July (with DepED on lead); Career Ambassadors
appearance during the CGW (TESDA); and Regionalized Career Guidance Information Blitz
(CHED).
Students benefited by career guidance in 2013. In 2013, DOLE, through the PESOs,
813,256 students and parents were benefited through the conduct of a total of 5,461 career
guidance activities in 4,193 schools, colleges and universities---in synergy with 57,222
employment coaching activities benefiting 989,713 job applicants nationwide.
(B)

ON THE DOLE-MANILA BULLETIN JOB FAIRS LINKAGE

DOLEs Jobs Fairs mandate. Job fairs, which DOLE supervises through its regional offices
(RO) and the Bureau of Local Employment, are in consonance with the States policy to provide
full employment and equality of employment opportunities for all.
Based on this mandate, the DOLE appreciates the conduct of job fairs on the part of the private
and other sectors in the country, consistent with President Benigno S. Aquino IIIs 22-point labor
and employment agenda, whose overarching goal is to, invest in our countrys top resource,
our human resource, to make us more competitive and employable while promoting industrial
peace based on social justice, by addressing labor-mismatch problem through better
coordination between employers, academia and government. In consonance with RA 8759,
jobs fairs conducted by private entities or educational institutions shall be supervised and
monitored pursuant to DOLE guidelines.

The 2014 Manila Bulletin Jobs Fairs timeline. Earlier, the Manila Bulletin invited the DOLE to
be its major partner in its 2014 job fairs. As furnished by the Manila Bulletin, the schedules are
as follows:

06 to 07 March---SM Megamall, Ortigas Avenue, Mandaluyong City;

22 to 23 April---Trinoma, Quezon City; 13 to 14 May---Glorietta;
19 July 2014---SMX, SM Lanang Davao; 23 August---Cebu City;
19-20 September---Robinsons, Pampanga;
11 October 2014---SM Atrium, Baguio City; and,
20-21 November---SM North Skydome.
(C)

2010-2013 HIGHLIGHTS ON YOUTH AND EMPLOYMENT

The Philippine Labor and Employment Plan 2011-2016

In general, the DOLE-led Philippine Labor and Employment Plan 2011 to 2016 had
noted that: Globally, one out of four in the working age population is between 15 and
24 years old. About half of them are unemployed. This is also the case in the
Philippines. In 2010, of the total 2.9 million unemployed, more than half were in the age
range of 15-24.

The Philippine Labor and Employment Plan 2011 to 2016 pushed to improve access to
employment opportunities by (a) adopting reforms in employment facilitation; (b)
Enhancing human capital through education and training; (c) Prioritizing placement of
disadvantaged and vulnerable groups of workers (e.g. youth, women, low-skilled) for
available employment opportunities; and (d) Enhancing the employability of vulnerable
workers (workers affected by crisis, workers in the informal economy, displaced and
distressed OFWs.

Furthermore, PLEP 2011-2016 prescribed that improving access to employment

opportunities would be through a policy environment aimed at increasing labor
demand; improving labor supply using pro-employment labor market policies; upgrading
the employability of the youth and the educated through measures addressing
oversubscription to academic degree and skills training programs; and enhancing career
advocacy, coaching and counseling to improve the employability of graduates and
workers and professionals, particularly among the youth.

Enrolment Statistics

Higher education statistics furnished by the National Statistical Coordination Board

(NSCB) based on the latest CHED data as of 03 January 2014) show that, a total of
3,317,530 college, graduate, and post-graduate students were enrolled in all available
discipline groups in the Philippines as of Academic Year (AY) 2012 to 2013. The data,
according to NSCB, include enrollment in pre-baccalaureate, baccalaureate, postbaccalaureate, masters and doctorate programs. Advanced CHED data on actual
number of graduates for SY 2013-2014 is not available at the moment.

Labor Force Survey on Youth Employment and Unemployment from 2010 to 2013

On the average, employment in absolute terms during the four (4)-year period accounted
for increased increments for the youth in the 15-24 age bracket based on the United
Nations (UN) definition as may be shown by the following matrix culled from the National
Statistics Offices (NSO) Labor Force Survey, as mirrored by the Bureau of Labor and
Employment Statistics (BLES) Current Labor Statistics dated 2014 January and earlier
issue:

EMPLOYED
INDICATOR
Employed
Men
Women

2010
6,816,000
4,285,000
2,531,000

2011
7,258,000
4,580,000
2,678,000

2012
7,322,000
4,622,000
2,700,000

2013 (preliminary)
7.289,000
NA
NA

Based on the BLESs data, unemployment in the bracket likewise decreased during the
four-year period as follows:

UNEMPLOYED
INDICATOR
Unemployed
Men
Women

2010
1,460,000
846,000
613,000

2011
1,417,000
818,000
599,000

2012
1,412,000
809,000
603,000

2013 (p)
1,405,000
NA
NA

Correspondingly, the unemployment rate for youths 15-24 years declined during the 4year period as follows:

UNEMPLOYMENT RATES
INDICATOR
Unemployment Rate
(%)

2010
17.6

2011
16.3

2012
16.2

2013 (p)
16.2

On the other hand, in absolute terms, total employment in the college graduate and
higher levels in 2012 increased to 5,745,000 in 2012, compared to 5,562,000 in 2011,
and 5,358,000 in 2010.

This is notwithstanding that despite a total employment reaching 10,231,000 in 2010,

total employment in the college (undergraduate, graduate and higher categories) had
dipped to 9,193,000 in 2012, in parallel with the sustained uptrend in enrollment in all
disciplines from 2,937,847, to 3,033,967, and to 3,317,530 from AYs 2010-2011, 201112, and 2012-13, respectively.

EMPLOYED
INDICATOR

2010

2011

2012

College
Undergraduate
Graduate and
Higher

10,231,000
4,873,000
5,358,000

10,582,000*
5,020,000
5,562,000

9,193,000
3,448,000
5,745,000

2013
(preliminary)
NA
NA
NA but**

* BLES data indicates: 2012 figure Includes post secondary.

**While the October data is not available for the 2013 preliminary set, the available January, April and July rounds already indicate
5,864,666 average employment for Graduate and Higher Level during the three-round span.

Thus, despite enrollment in college and higher levels in all disciplines reaching
3,033,967 in AY 2011-2012, up by plus (+) 263,002 from AY 2010-2011s 2,770,965,
total employment in the level still reached 9,193,000 in 2012, down from 10,231,000 in
2010.

Notably, while the October data is not available for 2013 yet, at preliminary status the
available January (5,828,000), April (5,833,000) and July (5,933,000) data last year
covering the Graduate and Higher level are already all higher than similar data in 2012
at 5,729,000 (January), 5,723,000 (April) and 5,680,000 (July). Consequently, these
resulted in 5,864,666 on average employed for Graduate and Higher Level for the first
three-rounds in 2013. With another 5,850,000 College and Higher employed based on
2012s October round, the complete 4-round average resulting for 2012 is at 5,745,000
employed.

Comparatively, unemployment trend for both the college categories palpably declined
from 1,178,000 in 2010 to 931,000 in 2012, which, despite a slight increment to 988,000
in 2013 based on preliminary data, sustained. Finally, the LFS data indicated that higher
unemployment declined was posted in the undergraduate level during the 4-year span
from 621,000 in 2010 to only 399,000(p) in 2013. But, for Graduate and Higher Level
unemployment was in a relative parity, increasing slightly from 557,000 in 2010 to
568,000 in 2011, then dipping below the previous 2010 level to 553,000 in 2012, but
again rising to 588,000 in 2013 (based on preliminary data).

UNEMPLOYED
INDICATOR
College
Undergraduate
Graduate and
Higher

2010
1,178,000
621,000
557,000

2011
1,181,000
613,000
568,000

2012
931,000
378,000
553,000

2013 (p)
988,000
399,000
588,000

Communications Links: Bureau of Local Employment---527-2539; BLES: 527-3000 locals 314

or 315.

END of DRAFT/for CORRECTIONS/mjlc