More Bicolanos work in blue collar than white collar jobs in the region

2016_0901_padyak-operator
In Bicol region, high employment rate may be attributed to the number of technical and vocational workers employed by the sectors in services, industry, trade, manufacturing and agriculture. Near the market area of Calabanga, 'padyak operator' needs manual strength to power his earnings on a day to day basis.

The best promising employment opportunity that awaits a Bicolano willing and eager to work within the region are on the blue collar side.

It is because there are more blue collar than white collar job opportunities in Bicol.

This is confirmed by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) which pegged the estimate that eight out of 10 people employed are either technical or vocational workers.

The phenomenon is fueled thru temporary employment requiring laborers in infrastructure projects by the government and private sectors, which are not on a year-round basis.

2016_0901_fish-vendor
In Bicol region, high employment rate may be attributed to the number of technical and vocational workers employed by the sectors in services, industry, trade, manufacturing and agriculture. At the only public the market in the town of Calabanga, an entrepreneur-self employed fish vendor was seen busy at work.

Nevertheless, the latest national labor force survey by the PSA showed Bicol posted the second highest employment rate among the regions. It did not qualify though whether employment is casual or temporary or permanent in nature.

With business process outsourcing and shopping malls setting up branches in Metro Naga and Legazpi City the need for more sales clerks, food servers and related jobs, and phone answering personnel is in the horizon. It could open up chances of employment for 4 and five-year college degree holders who are still in the lookout for jobs.

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According to the Philippine Statistics Agency-Bicol, out of the 3.7 million working population in the region, 96.2 percent or 2.4 million people are employed. The major occupational group that contributed to the employment growth rate came from the ranks of laborers (35 percent), farmers (18 percent), government workers (14 percent) and service workers (13 percent). Here, the local version of UBER service in Calabanga, an 'habal-habal' operator ply his route with two passengers.

These projected service-driven oriented-job openings are casual, and temporary only, a scheme being resorted to by concessionaires, mall and BPO operators. It is common knowledge these jobs could actually be permanent in nature, character and tenure.

That is why it has become one of President Rodrigo Duterte’s point of interest, ending contractualization during his term of office.

PSA said the Bicol economy last year recorded the highest growth rate with 8.4 percent growth in terms of Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) or P154 billion in goods and services produced.

Jap Adupe
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