“Breaking Down Barriers: Addressing Unemployment and Unreasonable Job Requirements in the Philippines”

Do you ever wonder why many Filipinos are unemployed? Unemployment is the condition of being capable of working, actively seeking work, but unable to find any work. Unemployment is a serious problem that a country can face, and it has become one of the biggest problems that our country is facing currently. The Philippines is one of the countries with high unemployment rates. Unemployment has been an issue in the Philippines for a long time, and it still remains today, affecting millions of Filipinos.

There are a lot of reasons and factors for the high unemployment rate in the Philippines. One of the factors that affects the high rates is the high standard requirements that companies set or the existence of unreasonable job requirements. Most companies here in the Philippines require a lot of requirements, even if they are not necessary for the job for which they are applying.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the Philippines’ unemployment rate inched up to 4.5% in June, bringing the total number of jobless Filipinos to 2.3 million. Some of the causes of unemployment are a low level of education, gender discrimination, no experience at work, being unable to pass the interview, disability, and other unreasonable job requirements. The standards in the Philippines are so high when it comes to job applications, and that is one of the reasons many Filipinos choose to become Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and work abroad.

In this position paper, I argue that the companies here in the Philippines should lower their standards in selecting workers. We all know that requirements are needed and important for applying for a job, but the job requirements should be reasonable and necessary for the job they are applying for.

· Years of Experience: Due to a lack of experience, jobless workers or fresh graduates are unable to take on careers that are available in the job market. Philippines often demands an excessive number of years of experience; it is not uncommon to find job listings for fresh graduates that require 3–5 years of experience, therefore leaving fresh graduates out of contention.

· Unrealistic Educational Qualifications: Even if the skills and information needed for the work can be acquired through a variety of educational backgrounds or real-world experience, some employers specify highly specific educational requirements and insist on candidates holding a certain degree. For example, there is a job opening for a janitor, which is a low-paying job but requires a college graduate. A janitor just needs to handle things like basic maintenance, building repairs, cleaning, and other janitorial work, so a degree in college is necessary for cleaning.

· Age Discrimination: Some job postings may include age limits that discriminate against older or younger candidates, disregarding their qualifications and abilities. For example, not employing younger workers because it’s assumed they’ll quickly move on to another job and not employing mature-age workers because it’s assumed they’ll soon retire

· Gender Discrimination: Gender-based job requirements unfairly limit job opportunities for individuals based on their gender rather than their qualifications and abilities.

Addressing unemployment and unreasonable job requirements in the Philippines is a valid concern. Some may argue that they agree with these job requirements. They think that it is just right to have high standards for job applications so the employee will become more competitive and see who really deserves to get the job. As I have said before, requirements are needed and important for applying for a job, but the job requirements should be reasonable and necessary for the job they are applying for. For me, everyone deserves a chance to get a job, regardless of their age, height, gender, education level, and experience.

To address these issues effectively, which are unemployment and unreasonable job requirements, we recommend the following steps:

· Sustained Economic Growth: Having sustained economic growth is another way for the government to address the problem of unemployment. When there is economic growth, employers will be more willing and able to employ more workers. However, this is a long-term strategy that takes a lot of time to see results.

· Reducing Occupational Immobility: Reducing occupational immobility is one possible solution that can be applied to the Philippines. There is an oversupply of workers and a good number of graduates every year who fall into unemployment. By enlisting them in retraining courses, they can gain new skills that are necessary to garner them a place in the workforce.

· Continuous Learning and Upskilling: Support initiatives for lifelong learning and upskilling of the workforce. Encourage employers to invest in employee training and development programs.

· Promote Transparency: Encourage employers to clearly define job requirements and responsibilities. Advocate for the use of standardized job descriptions to eliminate ambiguity.

· Public Awareness: Raise public awareness about the consequences of unreasonable job requirements. Promote fair and inclusive hiring practices through media campaigns and educational programs.

In conclusion, addressing unreasonable job requirements is essential to reducing unemployment rates in the Philippines. Unreasonable job requirements are one of the factors that affect the high rates in the Philippines, including years of experience, unrealistic educational qualifications, age, and gender qualifications. We can break down barriers and create a more inclusive job market that benefits both employers and job seekers by sustaining economic growth, reducing occupational immobility, raising public awareness, promoting continuous learning, and upskilling.

References:

Ofwgio. (2022). 13 Most common causes of unemployment rate in the Philippines. The Pinoy OFW.

Caranzo, Garcia, Mitra. (2021). IS UNEMPLOYMENT A SERIOUS PROBLEM OF A COUNTRY?

Doyle, A. (2021). Education levels and requirements for employment. The Balance.

Flores. (2019). Unreasonable Job Requirements