Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT

Regional Office No. VIII
\

LABOR MARKET
INFORMATION
and
CAREER GUIDANCE
GUIDING THE YOUTH’S CAREER CHOICES

Prepared by: Karmela G. de la Sierra, CFP

Career Guidance Advocacy Program, Regional Focal
LABOR MARKET vs.
LABOR MARKET
INFORMATION
This provides us an overview of the overall labor market condition in the country based on the Labor
Force Survey released by the Philippine Statistics Authority. Below are the components of the building
blocks:

 Labor Force – refers to the population 15 years old and over who contribute to the production of goods
and services in the country. It comprises the employed and unemployed;
 Employed – consists of persons in the labor force who are reported either as at work or with a job or
business although not at work. Persons at work are those who did some work, even for an hour during
the reference period;
 Unemployed – consists of persons in the labor force who are reported as (1) without work; and (2)
currently available for work; and (3) seeking work or not seeking work because of the belief that no
work is available, or awaiting results of previous job applicant, or because of temporarily illness or
disability, bad weather or waiting for rehire or job recall; and
 Underemployed – refers to the employed persons who express the desire to have additional hours
of work in their present job or an additional job or have a new job with longer working hours.
BUILDING BLOCKS
OF THE

LABOR FORCE
(Philippines) JUNE 2021
What is the future of work in INDUSTRY 4.0?
Fourth Industrial Revolution or Industry
4.0
The digital revolution characterized by a
fusion of technologies that is
blurring the lines between the physical,
digital, and biological spheres.

Comprised of emerging technology

breakthroughs such as artificial intelligence,
robotics, Internet of Things, autonomous
vehicles, 3-D printing, Nanotechnology,
Biotechnology, materials science, energy
storage, quantum computing
 Recommendation Engines

GPS Navigation Virtual Assistants Facial Recognition

What is the Fourth Industrial Department of Labor and Employment Region

VIII
Revolution?
In the age of digital transformation, low value
skills are automated and high value skills
(cognitive, critical, creative, soft skills) are
given more importance.
 Focus is on human soft skills since
computers and robots cannot maintain
relationships.
 ADB’s study, “Assessing Skills and Technology for
High-Growth Industries in Southeast Asia”,
validates the importance of equipping the
workforce with the right soft skills to address
the impact of Industry 4.0. A separate subject to
improve the soft skills of students was
recommended.
 �
LIFE SKILLS �
96
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100
102
103
105
 LIFE
SKILLS
the abilities for ADAPTIVE and POSITIVE
behavior that enable the individuals to
deal effectively with the demands and
challenges of every day life.

106
Employers often ask for a combination of hard and soft skills.

109
HARD SKILLS
are technical
knowledge or
training that you
have gained
through any life
experience,
including in
your career or
education.

110
 Life Skills

SOFT SKILLS
are personal
habits and
traits that
shape how
you work, on
your own and
with others.

111
HARD v SOFT SKILLS
SKILLS s

“what you “how

know” you
act”

112
 Why Life
Skills?
“While hard skills are necessary
to successfully perform technical
tasks in a job, soft skills are
necessary to create a positive
and functional work
environment. “

Source: Indeed Career Guide

114
115
 Soft Skills over Hard
Skills

• “Some employers may prefer to select candidates

who have a stronger set of soft skills over hard
skills, as soft skills are at times more difficult to
develop.”

Source: Indeed Career Guide

116
Soft Skills over Hard
Skills
“Companies can train employees in technical
skills. Soft skills, on the other hand, are far
harder to teach, which is why companies
should be looking to hire for soft skills and
train for technical skills.”

Source: FastCompany.com, S. Vozza,

These Are The Five Soft Skills Recruiters Want Most dated January 26, 2018

117
119
Did you

know?
120
 “
Employers are starting to
realize that academic
performance does not
always translate to how one
might perform at work.

Philip Gioca, JobStreet.com Philippines

126
Country Manager
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
Regional Office No.8

LABOR MARKET INFORMATION REPORT

 KEY EMPLOYMENT GENERATORS (KEGs)
Key Employment Generators or KEGs refer to major
groups with the greatest potential to generate
employment and absorb the bulk of the workforce in the
years to come.

The safe reopening of the company attributed to the

continuous decline of the COVID-19 cases in the country
has proven to be an enabling mechanism for these
sectors to exhibit employment expansion. In the results
of the October 2021 Labor Force Survey (LFS), a total of
3.990M jobs (10%) were generated year-on-year – from
39.836M in October 2020 to 43.826M in October 2021.
The largest gain in employment was observed in the
Wholesale and Retail Trade (+1.323M), Agriculture and
Forestry (+990,000) and Manufacturing (+297,000). On
the other hand, notable drop in employment was
reported in few sectors such as Education (-46,000),
Financial and Insurance Activities (-8,000), and Electricity,
Gas Steam and Air Conditioning Supply (-6,000).
Based on the regional reports and JobsFit LMI Road to
Recovery, the top three (3) KEGs are (i) Wholesale and
Retail Trade, (ii) Construction, and (iii) Health and
Wellness. This means that these sectors are observed to
absorb a higher share of the country’s workforce in most
regions around the country.
 KEGS:
WHOLESALE, RETAIL AND TRADE
This sector covers the wholesale and retail sale of
any type of goods and the rendering services
incidental to the sale of these goods or its
distribution. Wholesaling and retailing are the
final steps in the distribution of goods. Goods
bought and sold are also referred to as
merchandise. Also included in this sector is the
repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles. Sale
without transformation is considered to include
the usual operations (or manipulations)
associated with trade (e.g. sorting, grading and
assembling of goods, mixing/blending of goods,
etc.).

Occupations
 Merchandiser/Buyer
 Salesman/Saleslady
 Promodiser
 Cashier
KEGS: CONSTRUCTION
This sector covers putting up of horizontal and
vertical construction projects. Horizontal forms of
construction involve the operation of heavy
equipment to move tons of earth materials in
order to complete construction projects such as
building roads, bridges, airfields, etc. Vertical
construction means anything being built from the
ground up.

Occupations

 Fabricator
 Pipe Fitter
 Welder
 Engineers:
1. Civil Engineer
2. Geodetic Engineer
3. Design & Structural Engineer
4. Planning & Contract Engineer
KEGS: HEALTH AND
WELLNESS
The industry covers the establishment and
operation of medical facilities such as primary,
secondary and tertiary hospitals, ambulatory
clinics, and spas that cater to the overall well-
being of a person. This includes the operation of
hotel spa, therapeutic center, traditional and
alternative healing, and medical care services.

Other related occupations

 Doctor
Occupations  Physical Therapist
 Nurse  Pharmacist
 Medical Technologist
 Herbologist
 Laboratory Technician
 Optician
 Physician/Surgeon
 Optometrist  Spa/Massage Therapist
 Masseur
KEGS: HOTEL, RESTAURANT
and TOURISM
This covers tourism-related enterprises such as restaurants,
food chains, and accommodation establishments that
include, but not limited to hotels, resorts, apartments,
motels, bed and breakfast facilities, and tourist inns. This
also involves operation of tourist transport services,
preservation of historical shrines, landmarks, and
structures. Pre-pandemic, the number of visitor arrivals in
the country reached 8,260,913 in 2019, the highest since
2015. However, due to the pandemic, MSMEs that had
catered to tourists or in related industries have experienced
abrupt fall in tourist arrivals, resulting into demand plunge
in the tourism sector causing thousands of job losses and  Room Attendant
economic hardships, and wiped out many firms. In order to
offset the slump in foreign tourist arrivals, the Asian
Occupations   Other Housekeeping Services
Development Bank recommends the active promotion of  Front Office Agent/Attendant  Reservations Officer and other
domestic tourism in the country. Based on their projections,
it would result in a nearly 20-percent surplus of local
 Baker Frontline Occupation
tourists replacing foreigners, on top of an about 30-percent  Food Server and Handler  Tour Guides
surplus in tourism expenditures.
 Food and Beverage Service  Commissary Cook
Attendant  Pastry Cook
 Waiter  Hot-Kitchen Cook
 Bartender  Pantry Worker/Cold-Kitchen
KEGS : IT-BPM
This covers voice (call center) and non-voice (IT
software) complex services which include sub-
sectors in the call center, knowledge process
outsourcing (KPO), data transcription, animation,
digital content/game development, software
development, and engineering development. IT-
BPM service exports have immensely increased
and will continue to be strong for the next years.
What started as an alternative IT-BPM destination
to India nearly two decades ago, the Philippines,
is now considered as global market leader in the
IT-BPM sector when it comes to voice- and
nonvoice-driven IT-BPM services especially in
customer relations management and has started  Network / Database
creating its niche in other services such as IT help Occupations Administrator
desk services and even game support.  Animator  Software Quality Assurance
 Call Center Agent / Customer (QA) Engineer
Service Rep Technical Service  Software Developer
Rep  Business Analyst
 Web Developer/Designer  Project Manager
 Solutions Architect  Technical & IT Helpdesk
 Graphics Designer Support
KEGS: MANUFACTURING

This includes the physical or chemical

transformation of materials, substances, or
components into new products. The raw materials
are products of agriculture, forestry, fishing,
mining or quarrying as well as products of other
manufacturing activities. Substantial alteration,
renovation or reconstruction of goods is generally
considered as manufacturing.

Occupations   Electrical Engineer

 Electrical Technicians
 Finance and Accounting Managers
 Food Technologist
 Machine Operators
 Sewer
 Chemist
 Industrial Engineer
 IT Specialist
 Machinist
 Mechanical Engineers
 Mechanical Technicians
 Chemical Engineer
KEGS: AGRIBUSINESS
Occupations 
 Animal Husbandry 
 Agricultural Economist 
 Aqua-culturist 
 Coconut Farmer
 Entomologist (Plant)
 Farmer (Fruit, Vegetable, and Root Crops)
 Fisherman
The industry is generally the commercial aspect related to agriculture
 Horticulturist or agricultural activities. The Agribusiness sector is engaged in the
 Plant Mechanic production and operations of a farm, the manufacturer and
distribution of farm equipment and supplies, and the processing,
 Rice Tresher Operator-Mechanic storage and distribution of farm commodities. The Agribusiness sector
 Veterinarian is quite diverse as it encompasses input production, farm operations
 Pathologist and management, equipment and supplies manufacturing, food/non-
food processing, trading and retailing.
 Food Processor/Food Technician
 Fishery Technologist
KEGS: BANKING AND
FINANCE
This pertains to financial service activities including
insurance, reinsurance, and pension funding; and
activities to support financial services. This industry also
includes the activities of holding assets i.e., companies,
trusts funds, and similar entities. The role of financial
intermediation in the Philippine economy continues to
expand and create greater prospects for increasing
employment within the next few years. As the Philippine
economy grows, the foreseen increase in the number of
business establishments in the country will require more
Occupations 
workers with skills to set up books, prepare taxes and  Operations Manager
payrolls, and provide financial analysis and advice.
Increased private sector investments, growth in high-
 Teller
rise/condominium estates, continued remittances  Accounting Clerks  Cashier
abroad, and large incomes for both firms and workers
 Bookkeepers  Credit Card Analyst
will continue to induce the demand for financial services
and consequently encourage banks and other financial  Auditor  Finance Analyst/Specialist
intermediaries to expand operations and hire more
workers.
 Accountant
(Account Officer, Analyst)
 Risk Management
Officer/Manager
 KEGS: EDUCATION
The industry includes education at any level or for any
profession, oral or written, as well as by radio and
television or other means of communication. It
includes education by different institutions in the
regular school system at its different levels as well as
adult education, literacy programs, etc.

Occupations 
 Full-time Faculty on Entrepreneurship
 Health Education Project Facilitator
 Online English Teacher
 Youth Development Officer
KEGS : POWER AND UTILITIES
The utilities sector refers to a category of
companies that provide basic amenities, such
as water, sewage services, electricity, dams,
and natural gas.

Occupations 
 Electrical Control Operator
 Equipment Operator
 Electrical Technician
 Mechanic
 Mechanical Technician
PRIORITY OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Priority Occupational Requirements are occupations needed by the industry
that are neither in-demand, hard-to-fill, or cross-cutting. The following
criteria was set to identify these occupations:

• In-demand occupations – active occupations/job vacancies posted or

advertised recurrently by and across establishments and industries.
• Hard-to-fill occupations – job vacancies which employers or companies
have difficulty or take a long time to fill due to a lack of qualified, or an
insufficient supply of applicants.
• Cross-cutting occupations – job vacancies that are both in-demand and
hard-to-fill.
EMERGING JOBS Table 3. Top 10 Emerging Jobs (Linkedin) and
Top 10 Most In-Demand Jobs (PayMaya)
Emerging jobs are occupations that are relatively new to the list of the in-demand
and hard-to-fill occupations, and do not exist in the labor market before. These jobs
are usually a result of technological advancements and innovations.

New technological revolution gives rise or demand for new occupational titles
that adapt to changing times and labor market needs. The transition to new
technology and business practices brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution was
accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This caused a shift to remote work and
digitized workplaces to ensure safety and serve as containment measures for the
workers.

Based on Linkedin’s 2021 Emerging Jobs Report Philippines, “emerging job”

refers to a role that has seen tremendous growth within a region. This means,
while there may not be a large pool talent who hold these occupations, there is
a large, sustained year-over-year growth of professionals who are hired into the
role and believe these to be long-term trends.

These are the top 10 emerging jobs from Linkedin’s 2021 Emerging Jobs Report
Philippines and the top 10 most in-demand jobs in the Philippine’s New Normal
from Paymaya.
Linkedin also recently published the Job on the Rise in 2022 in Southeast Asian Regions (Philippines, Malaysia,
Indonesia, and Thailand) report. Table below shows the skills and occupational titles in various industries that
recently emerged in the region as the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital platforms.

Skills and Occupations on the Rise in 2022 in Southeast Asian Regions:

Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand

SKILLS & SKILLS &

TOP OCCUPATION TITLES TOP OCCUPATION TITLES
INDUSTRIES INDUSTRIES
Business Operations Analyst, Business Dev’t Analyst, E-commerce Online Specialist, E-commerce Coordinator
DATA ANALYST
Analysis Specialist, Business Analyst, Data Analyst
Business Development Sales Specialist, Account Manager, Account Executive,
SOFTWARE AND Web Developer, System Analyst, Mobile Application and Sales Business Development Specialist
TECHNOLOGY ROLES Developer, Full Stack Engineer, Frontend Developer,
DevOps Consultant Customer Service Executive, Customer Experience
Customer Service Manager, Customer Support Specialist, Contact
Cyber Security Analyst, Cyber Security Specialist,
Centre Specialist, Customer Service Team Lead
CYBER SECURITY Cyber Security Consultant, Information Security
Specialist Distributor, Logistics Supervisor, Operational
Supply Chain Specialist, Logistics Manager, Head of Supply Chain
SPECIALISED Mechanical Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Management
ENGINEERING Engineering Team Lead
Healthcare and Medical Medical Technologist, Pharmacy Assistant, Healthcare
Support Assistant, Medical Officer, Medical Specialist
DIGITAL CONTENT
Editor, Copywriter, Podcaster, Youtuber, Video Editor
SPECIALIST English Second Language Teacher, Chinese Teacher,
Education Academic Tutor, Information Technology Teacher,
DIGITAL MARKETING Social Media Manager, Digital Marketing Specialist,
Mathematics Teacher
SPECIALIST Social Media Marketing Specialist, Marketing
Specialist, Marketing Analyst Financial Advisor, Accountant, Financial Planner,
Finance and Insurance
Finance Specialist, Insurance Agent
Public Relations Coordinator, Director of Public
PUBLIC RELATIONS Relations, Public Relations Specialist, Public Relations Healthcare and Medical Medical Doctor, General Practitioner, Medical Officer,
Manager, Public Relations Officer Frontline Nurse, Paramedic
Source: Linkedin
DIGITAL ECONOMY
The pandemic brought to light the ever-growing role of technology in the world of work and saw dramatic shifts
in companies’ priorities, investments, processes, access, and understanding of technology during the period.

According to the Future of Jobs Survey 2020 of the World Economic Forum (WEF), majority of its survey
respondents plan to accelerate job automation in the coming years, with 43% planning to reduce their workforce
due to technology integration. hence., as overall labor demand decreases, demand for digital workers is
expanding. Workers with advanced digital skills are in high demand, consequently commanding wages
significantly above the average for their economy. Technology has also allowed many employees to work
remotely from home amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
The table below shows the list with increased and decreased demand based on the survey results gathered by the
WEF.

INCREASING DEMAND
 Data Analysts & Scientists
 AI & Machine Learning Specialists
 Big Data Specialists
 Digital Marketing & Strategy Specialists
 Process Automation Specialists
 Business Development Professionals
 Digital Transformation Specialists
 Information Security Analysts
 Software & Applications Developers
 Internet of things Specialists
 Project Managers
 Business Services & Administrations Managers
 Database and Network Professionals
 Robotics Engineers
 Strategic Advisors
 Management & Organization Analysts
 FinTech Engineers
 Mechanics & Machinery Repairers
 Organizational Development Specialists
 Risk Management Specialists
 DECREASING DEMAND
 Data Entry Clerks
 Administrative & Executive Secretaries
 Accounting, Bookkeeping & Payroll Clerks
 Accountants & Auditors
 Assembly & Factory Workers
 Business Services & Administration Managers
 Client Information & Customer Service Workers
 General & Operations Managers
 Mechanics & Machinery Repairers
 Material-Recording & Stock-Keeping Clerks
 Financial Analysts
 Postal Service Clerks
 Sales Rep. Wholesale & Manufacturing,
Technology & Sci. Products
 Relationship Managers
 Bank Tellers & Related Clerks
 Door-to-Door Sales, News & Street Vendors
 Electronics & Telecoms Installers & Repairers
 Human Resources Specialists
 Training & Development Specialists
 Construction Laborers
SALARY AND WAGE
Salary and Wage refer to payment in exchange for work rendered. However, salary
is widely used for monthly-paid workers, while wage is used for daily-paid workers.

It is technically defined by PSA as payments in cash or in kind to all employees, prior

to deductions for employee’s contributions to SSS/GSIS, withholding tax, etc.
Included are total basic pay, overtime pay, and other benefits.

LIFE SKILLS
Life Skills refer to the personal attributes, personality traits, inherent social clues,
and communication abilities needed for success on the job. These skills are not
acquired through academic knowledge or technical acumen. It is sometimes
referred as “soft skills” or “21st Century Skills”.

The World Economic Forum identified the following top skills of 2025:

1. Analytical thinking and innovation

2. Active learning and learning strategies
3. Complex problem-solving
4. Critical thinking and analysis
5. Creativity, originally and initiative
Meanwhile, DOLE, through the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE), conducted in 2021 the Philippine Talent Map
Initiative to assess the skills and competencies of the Philippine workforce. Based on the results, below are the
top strengths and weaknesses of our workforce:

STRENGTHS WEAKNESS
• English Functional Skill • Teamwork

• Match Functional Skill • Decision-making

• Workplace Ethics • Innovation

• English Comprehension • Planning and Organizing

• Multi-tasking • Creative Problem Solving

The table below are common situations experienced by our clients and how LMI can help them:

SITUATION HOW LMI HELPS LMI SOURCES

LMI provides information on the demands of the industry (e.g. In-Demand,
Hard-to-Fill, and Emerging Jobs) within a given period to help you decide
Planning what program to take what program/course to take in college.
DOLE-BLE
in college?
It also identifies key employment generators or industries which provide most
of the employment opportunities in the labor market.

Salary/wage is one of the major considerations in choosing what career to

Curious about salaries and PSA, NWPC, Private
pursue. LMI presents salary scales of various jobs that are available in the
wages? Organizations
market.

Awareness of the overall labor market condition gives individuals an idea of

Want to know the overall how the economy is doing and how easy or difficult it will be to find a job.
PSA
labor market condition? LMI on employment, underemployment and unemployment are good
indicators of the overall labor market condition.

Whether for a jobseeker or an employer engaged in business, LMI has useful

Looking for available jobs or DOLE-BLE, PESO, Job-
data sets that can be customized for specific purposes such as job demands in
hiring people in your locality? search platforms
your locality and available supply of workers.
LMI gives individuals an idea of the relevant skills required by employers in
Developing your skills to DOLE-BLE, TESDA, Private
the labor market. It provides guidance on which training can workers avail to
increase employability? Organizations
boost their chances of being employed.
END