WESTERN Visayas should be encouraged by one figure in the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) latest Labor Market Profile: more people are willing to work. A record 64-percent labor force participation rate in 2025 means more residents are entering the job market with hopes of earning a decent living.
But behind that seemingly positive statistic is far more harsh reality. More workers are entering the labor force, yet fewer are finding the stable, well-paying jobs they deserve. Employment has declined for three consecutive years — from 95.7 percent in 2023 to 94.6 percent in 2025 — while unemployment has climbed to 5.4 percent. Even more ominous is the rise in underemployment to 16.3 percent, meaning thousands who already have jobs still cannot earn enough to support their families.
This is no longer merely a question of creating jobs but of creating livelihoods.
A person who works only a few hours a week, survives on contractual employment, or receives wages insufficient to feed a family may technically be “employed”, but such employment offers little dignity and even less security. Economic growth loses its meaning when workers remain trapped in low-paying, unstable, or part-time jobs.
DOLE itself acknowledged that while employment quantity remains relatively strong, job quality and income adequacy continue to be major concerns. That admission is a wake-up call for both national and local policymakers.
The challenge demands more than job fairs and temporary employment programs. Western Visayas needs sustained investments that generate high-quality, long-term employment. Manufacturing, agribusiness, tourism, information technology, renewable energy, logistics, and infrastructure development should be aggressively expanded. Small and medium enterprises — the backbone of local economies — must receive easier access to financing, technical assistance, and markets.
Equally important is ensuring that education and skills training match the needs of industry. Many graduates continue to struggle not because they lack education, but because the available jobs do not match their qualifications or provide sufficient compensation. Strengthening partnerships between schools, industries, and government can narrow this gap.
Local government units also have a crucial role. Investment promotion should not stop at ribbon-cutting ceremonies and investment summits. Success should ultimately be measured by how many sustainable jobs are created and how much workers’ incomes improve. Every investment approved should translate into opportunities that genuinely uplift communities.
The region must also resist becoming complacent with statistical averages. High labor force participation is meaningless if people are forced to accept multiple jobs simply to survive. Likewise, a high employment rate loses its value when many workers remain underemployed and financially insecure.
The people of Western Visayas are clearly willing to work. They are showing up, looking for opportunities, and contributing to the economy. The question now is whether government and the private sector are doing enough to meet their determination with meaningful opportunities.
A growing labor force should be one of the region’s greatest strengths — not one of its greatest frustrations.
Economic progress cannot simply be measured by how many people have jobs. It must also be measured by whether those jobs allow families to live with dignity, security, and hope for a better future.
