House of Representatives labor and employment committee chair and Rizal 4th District Rep. Fidel Nograles on Wednesday echoed the call of a government think tank to improve labor forecasting through a Labor Market Information System (LMIS).
“An LMIS would help us address gaps and challenges such as skills mismatch, shortages, labor force needs, among others and would be useful for our learning institutions as they craft their training curriculums,” Nograles said.
The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) recently said that outdated and incomplete labor market information may be the cause of skills mismatches, which undermines productivity and economic competitiveness.
Nograles said that having an LMIS would ensure that the Filipino workforce’ skillset would not be left behind amid rapidly evolving industry needs.
“A comprehensive labor market data system should provide a framework for anticipatory skills mapping, connecting current educational outputs to future labor needs and ensuring that national skill sets evolve with the economy,” PIDS Senior Research Fellow Connie Bayudan-Dacuycuy said, citing from her study, Inputs to the Philippine Labor Market Information System and TESDA’s Skills Anticipation and Prioritization of Skills Requirements Framework.
The PIDS added that the LMIS could serve as a “central database” that collects, analyzes, and disseminates data on labor market trends, skills demand, and workforce needs.
Nograles said that having an LMIS would ensure that the Filipino workforce’ skillset would not be left behind amid rapidly evolving industry needs.
“A key aspect in every effective strategy is having accurate and comprehensive data to guide our decisions. With such an information system, we can take steps towards guaranteeing that our workforce is equipped with the proper knowledge and skills to fulfill the needs of the economy,” said the lawmaker.
“Malaki ang maitutulong ng mas magandang labor forecasting para matiyak natin na hindi nganga lalo na ang mga new hires pagpasok sa trabaho, dahil hindi nila natutunan sa learning and training institution gaya ng kolehiyo o sa TESDA ang requirement sa trabaho,” Nograles added.
