ILOILO City — The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry has established itself as Western Visayas’ biggest employment generator for 2025, with call center and customer service positions accounting for the largest share of nearly 20,000 job vacancies, according to the latest Labor Market Profile of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
The report identified Call Center Agents as the region’s most sought-after workers, with 4,319 job openings, followed by Customer Service Assistants with 2,443 vacancies, underscoring the continued expansion of the BPO and Information Technology-Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industries across Western Visayas.
Rounding out the top five most in-demand occupations were Domestic Helpers with 1,429 vacancies, Household Attendants with 1,100 openings, and Professional Nurses (General) with 784 job opportunities.
Other occupations included in the top 15 are Staff Nurses, Construction Contractors, Housekeepers for hotels and resorts, Construction Laborers, Data Analysts, Hotel and Restaurant Managers, Home-based Caregivers, Delivery Drivers, Baristas, and Company Nurses.
DOLE-6 reported that the Public Employment Service Office Employment Information System (PEIS) recorded a total of 19,717 job vacancies in Western Visayas for 2025.
Of the total, the Services Sector accounted for 17,897 jobs, or 90.77 percent of all available employment opportunities, making it the region’s dominant source of jobs.
The bulk of these openings came from business process outsourcing firms, overseas recruitment agencies, retail establishments, and other service-oriented enterprises, reinforcing the service sector’s role as the primary engine of employment in Western Visayas.
Meanwhile, the Industry Sector generated 1,776 vacancies, equivalent to 9.01 percent of total job openings, with demand centered on construction, manufacturing, and other industrial activities that continue to require both skilled and semi-skilled workers.
In contrast, the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (AFF) Sector posted only 44 vacancies, representing just 0.22 percent of the region’s total job opportunities for the year. Despite its relatively small share, the sector continues to provide essential employment in agricultural production and related industries.
The labor market profile also highlighted the growing participation of workers in the regional economy.
DOLE-6 reported a 64-percent labor force participation rate in Western Visayas, equivalent to 2.20 million individuals aged 15 and above who are either employed or actively seeking work.
The figure marks a steady increase from 63.7 percent in 2023 and 63.8 percent in 2024, reflecting a gradual upward trend in labor force participation despite the regional reorganization that excluded Negros Occidental and Bacolod City from Western Visayas.
The latest data underscore the expanding influence of the BPO industry and the broader services sector in shaping the region’s employment landscape while providing diverse job opportunities for thousands of Western Visayas workers./PN
