Doomed Employment Hunts Filipinos

Despite the many new job openings created by a thriving economy, the labor and workplace

sectors agree that there are still far too many college graduates who are unemployed, underemployed,

or working in jobs that do not make the best use of their skills. Most open positions available are

low-paying and mismatch the competence level that most Filipino graduates can offer. As a result,

many young “supposedly” professionals opt to work overseas to find opportunities that match their

skills, resulting in additional "brain drain" for the nation.

Analiza Perez, a graduate of computer-related program has now resorted in taking

educational units to practice teaching in schools in the Philippines, due to the difficulty in seeking job

opportunities. The computer specialist turned educator did not directly dreamed of taking her current

profession as an educator, but the tight competition in the employment drove her to enter a totally

whole new world. Perez is only one of 2.6 million Filipinos who was recently surveyed to be

unemployed due to job mismatched. Fortunately, despite her situation, Perez still managed to seek

way to secure job chances. The "education-job mismatch" or "educational mismatch" is not a new

problem in the Philippines, it has circulated the economy long ago. Considering the educational level

necessary for a certain job it was a well-known problem all around the world, creating poverty and

unemployment. Since its first identification in Canada and the United States in the early 1970s, and

ultimately in the Philippines, several research have been conducted and developed. According to data

from the Labor Department, job skill mismatch was a key source of teenage unemployment (15.7

percent) and accounted for half of overall unemployment (7 percent).

With this underlying issue in employment, many Filipinos like Perez tend to shift into other

profession that is far behind from what they pursued in college. The national policy for job-seeking

in the country is yet to be determined with clear objectives. The nature of government over the

decades failed to create job spaces for new graduates, which later on compromises their skills. Why
is it still so difficult for the economy to create more and employment? The solution appears to be a

failed structural transition. Rather of expanding labor-oriented industry opening opportunities for job

growth and real earnings, Filipino workers have increasingly resorting on low-pay, low-skill, vague

structured service sector occupations.

 Silver Lining in Teaching, It’s Not Always Hard

Teaching has traditionally been regarded as a noble vocation requiring a great deal of

devotion. Teaching in the Philippines is a lot more fascinating narrative to tell. The hurdles are

numerous, and one's enthusiasm may genuinely be tried; if one succeeds, a diamond in the rough

emerges. Teachers are working longer than ever before, and more than any other career. It must

be thrilling, albeit difficult. Everyone can say, teachers are the most hardworking professional

yet underpaid and underestimated.

The field of education is not without dispute. Rosalina Dela Pena has been teaching in the

public schools of Leyte since her mid 20’s and has fought relentlessly for teacher welfare and

development. She is the mother of four (4) children, a foundation of a happy family. Setting out

for the first time on a teaching career in public schools must be thrilling, albeit tough. However,

according to Dela Pena in recent years, the stresses in teaching are evident but manageable if one

is passionate with the nature of work. According to her, it is not resiliency, it is only loving the

profession despite the situation. Rosalina began teaching 82 students in Grades 1-4 on on 2005,

and later on pursued teaching grades 6 on 2015. And on present, she is currently handling grades

4 and 6 classes. People in the neighborhood have been moved by her commitment. Rosalina

never gives up in the face of adversity. She keeps the flame alive. She continually tells herself,

"Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day; teach a guy to fish, and he will feed for a lifetime."

Indeed, her narrative has encouraged and motivated people to never give up on assisting

those in need and to continuing touching hearts, nurturing minds, and transforming the lives of

young learners. "The nicest aspect of my job is seeing my pupils grow and making a difference in

the lives of my students," said Rosalina. Above all her sacrifices for the young students in the

community, Rosalina has retired in 2020 with all of her kids titled and now a degree holder.