ONLINE recruitment activity in the Philippines grew 18% year-on-year in August, with most industries showing double-digit growth, research firm Monster.com said.
According to the company, which measures online hiring via its Monster Employment Index (MEI), retail hiring had the highest growth in August at 40%, followed by health care (33%), logistics (27%), banking, financial services and insurance (21%), consumer goods (18%), advertising (16%), manufacturing (12%), and engineering (10%).
Hiring activity in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry was flat while education was the only sector posting a decline, at 3%.
Monster added: “Online hiring seems on a roll in the Philippines, with positive growth numbers in 9 out of 10 job roles monitored by the MEI.”
By occupational area, purchasing/logistics/supply chain jobs grew 38%, followed by sales and business development, health care and human resources and administration, which grew 32% each.
Other occupations posting growth were finance and accounts(31%), software (22%), marketing and communications (18%), hospitality (15%), and engineering (11%).
The one occupational category posting a decline was customer service, down by 1%.
“Infrastructure is the backbone of a country’s economic development. A McKinsey Global Institute study predicts the Philippine economy is set to rise again and will achieve sustained growth over the next decade. The (International Monetary Fund), too, retained its growth forecast of 6.7% for the country. In line with this optimistic outlook, the MEI has reported an uptick in the demand for talent in Logistics and Supply Chains. This can be attributed to the fast-changing infrastructural landscape of the economy which is likely creating more jobs,” said Abhijeet Mukherjee, CEO of Monster.com for the Asia-Pacific and Middle East.
“While the medium-term outlook may be positive, the labor market can be exposed to domestic risks and vulnerabilities as a consequence of market irregularities and structural changes. The government’s Build, Build, Build campaign is looking to pave the way for a new era of growth and prosperity in the Philippines,” he added. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang
