Narcisa Umali and Charito Arriola *

This document is part of the

Rising unemployment and underemployment have posed a serious challenge to the government since the seventies. Why this is so and what corrective measures are being put in place shall be the subject of this paper.

This paper shall attempt to shed light on this problem by addressing the following questions:

• What are the major factors influencing the level and rate of growth of employment? How are these factors likely to influence the size, structure, and spatial distribution of employment?

• What were the major problems, obstacles and constraints encountered in the realization of employment goals and targets in the past development plans?

• What has been the overall impact of past policies, macro-economic, sectoral, etc., on the overall employment situation, specifically with respect to its structure?

• Drawing from the lessons learned in the past, what is the broad framework and strategy being adopted in the current development plan for the promotion of productive employment? Specifically, what policies and programs are being and will be implemented to realize the current plan's employment objectives and targets? What sectors will play a key role in pursuing this strategy?

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*Narcisa Umali is Head, Employment Sector, Economic Planning and Research Staff, National Economic Development Authority; Charito Arriola is Head, Industry Sector, in the same agency.