Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1992, published 79th ILC session (1992)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Philippines (Ratification: 1976)

The Committee has noted with interest the Government's report for the period ending June 1990 and the information it supplies in response to the Committee's previous direct request. It notes that the unemployment rate was reduced in 1989 to 9.2 per cent, a level slightly higher than the intermediate target of 9 per cent fixed for this year under the Medium-Term Development Plan for 1987-92. The Government states that it is still concerned at the persistence of a high rate of underemployment, which was estimated at about 32 per cent in 1989. Among the difficulties encountered in reaching the employment targets of the Plan, the Government mentions problems of peace and order in some parts of the country, which impair the restoration of investors' confidence; the net transfer of resources in external debt servicing; and the persistence of a high rate of growth in the population and the labour force. Further to its previous comments, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply in its next report additional information on the following points:

1. The Committee notes the information concerning the measures taken in pursuit of the rural employment development and promotion strategy. It would be grateful if the Government would supply any available assessment of the effect of those measures on employment. Please specify the results achieved in applying Executive Order No. 336 of September 1988, which requires the use of labour-based methods in public infrastructure projects. The Government states that it is encouraging the redeployment of urban economic activities in rural areas. Please describe the measures taken to that end and the results achieved.

2. The Committee notes the information given concerning measures to promote training, particularly in small and medium enterprises. Please specify the scope of those measures, in particular as to the number of persons receiving training. More generally, noting the existing mismatch of skills supply and demand, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would describe the measures taken or contemplated with a view to coordinating the output of the education and training systems with forecasts of the economy's labour requirements.

3. Please specify the competence of each of the tripartite bodies mentioned in the report. Please describe the practical procedures for consultation with representatives of the persons affected - who may include, in addition to representatives of employers and workers, representatives of other sectors of the economically active population such as persons working in the rural and the informal sector - concerning employment policies in accordance with Article 3 of the Convention.

4. The Committee has been informed of the execution of several ILO technical cooperation projects dealing among other things with employment promotion, the development of cooperatives in rural areas or training for self-employment. It would be grateful if the Government would indicate the action taken as a result of the assistance and advice received under ILO technical cooperation projects and any factors which may have prevented or delayed such action (Part V of the report form).