According to the 2011 Philippine Labor Force Survey, 1.5 million young people, aged 15-24 were unemployed. On average, young people are more likely to be unemployed than adults. The situation was further aggravated by the global financial crisis. Globally, 74.8 million youth aged 15–24 were unemployed in 2011, an increase of more than 4 million since 2007.

To promote youth employment in the Philippines, over a hundred youth leaders and representatives met with government agency officials, workers and employers group, academe, and civil society organizations. A draft National Action Plan on Youth Employment and Migration (YEM) was presented based on the seven (7) strategies from the paper “Alternative Pathways: Toward Charting an Actionable Framework for Youth Employment and Migration”, prepared by the Department of Labor and Employment and presented to His Excellency President Benigno S. Aquino III during the International Youth Day KA JAM: Kabataan (Youth) Jobs and Alternatives to Migration celebration in 2012.

The seven strategies include: promote youth employment rich opportunities; realize responsive education, training, and career coaching modalities; improve labour market information systems; strengthen workers’ rights awareness and social protection initiatives; harness migration gains and minimize its risks; provide meaningful voice and representation venues; and promote cultural and heritage appreciation.

The youth employment forum was organized together with the Department of Labor and Employment’s Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC) and the National Youth Commission (NYC) in partnership with the MDG Fund Joint Programme on Alternatives to Migration: Decent Jobs for Filipino Youth funded by the government of Spain.

The event served as a platform for young people, policy-makers and the social partners to dialogue on the results of the National Action Plan for Youth Employment and Migration in the Philippines, exchange views on the local national youth employment situation and to share good practices. The event will also help raise awareness on the urgency of promoting decent and productive work for young people.

For further information please contact:

Ms Ruth Georget
Joint Programme Coordinator, MDG Fund Joint Programme
on Alternatives to Migration: Decent Jobs for Filipino Youth
Tel: +63 2 580 9941 / 580 9900
Email