As part of the 120th Labor Day celebration, the National Employment Recovery Strategy (NERS) Task Force held the Job Summit 2022, carrying the theme “Beyond 1 Million Jobs: Create. Sustain. Transform.” last 01 May 2022 at the Kingsborough International Convention Center, City of San Fernando, Pampanga.

The activity was conducted on a hybrid setup with attendees representing the government, labor and business sectors, and international development partners converging to further strengthen commitments and partnerships in view of the current labor market condition, and the prevailing pandemic and social situation.

Highlights of the Job Summit include the reporting of the NERS Task Force’s accomplishments where more than 6 million individuals and 270,000 establishments were assisted through various interventions, such as employment facilitation, trainings and livelihood grants and loans, among others.

In demonstration of the “whole-of-society” approach that is embodied in the NERS, the Job Summit also shared the spotlight to the business sector, labor sector, and development partners where commitments have been sealed through the manifesto and agreement that were signed.

For the business sector, the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) signed a renewal of partnership with the NERS Task Force to create more decent, productive, and quality jobs, and equip workers with the right skills, competencies, and tools in order to meet the skills needs of industries. The partnership transcends job creation while also encompassing the transformation and sustainability of jobs to ensure that interventions are timely and relevant with the current labor market conditions.

Meanwhile, the labor sector represented by the Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO) and the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) delivered their respective perspectives on labor market recovery moving forward. Their perspectives are key inputs to the priorities of the NERS Task Force in the remaining term of the administration and as we transition to the next.

Lastly, the International Labour Organization, together with the Government of Japan, formalized the partnership with DOLE for its project, “Bringing Back Jobs Safely” which seeks to improve safety and health of workers in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the non-metropolitan regions of the Philippines and mitigate the negative socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 crisis through training on COVID-19 occupational safety and health (OSH), and digitalization of business operations such as digital entrepreneurship, e-commerce strategies and digital financial literacy.

The Job Summit is an annual activity organized by the NERS Task Force to provide a platform for social dialogue among key sectors to address issues in the labor market.

END/