In the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), a focus on full, productive, freely-chosen and sustainable employment opportunities for all is essential to promote decent work and achieve inclusive and sustainable economic development given the high proportion of vulnerable employment, poverty, and low real income. This requires a multi-pronged approach:

• supporting women and men, especially the youth and other groups at risk of vulnerability or marginalization, to acquire appropriate competencies and have access to and engage in remunerative and productive work;
• enhancing the enabling environment, including policies, programmes and institutions, to promote the development and creation of sustainable and resilient enterprises; and
• supporting better informed, more responsive and mainstreamed policies and programmes targeting groups in situations of vulnerability and marginalization, taking into account ILO Recommendation 205 on Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience (2017).

The COVID-19 crisis has resulted in a massive disruption to the economy and labour market in the Philippines, with disproportional impacts on vulnerable groups. In this context, the International Labour Organization (ILO) is undertaking research and consultations to better understand the labour market and skills development situation in BARMM. The research and consultations is led by the ILO Country Office for the Philippines in collaboration with the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team for East and South-East Asia and the Pacific. Initial consultation will be held on 31 May 2021 at 2:00 p.m. via Zoom.

The research aims to inform government, employers’ and workers’ organizations in BARMM and in the Philippines as well as the Australian Embassy in the Philippines in the development of skills and labour market interventions for sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full employment and decent work for women and men. The research aims to contribute to the regional development, including its focus on a responsive and transformative Bangsamoro education system and sustaining economic growth in the Bangsamoro.

Objectives

1. Present and validate preliminary findings of the BARMM labour market study to representatives of the government, employers’ and workers’ organizations, civil society and development partners; and
2. Gather recommendations and possible areas of support towards promoting productive employment and skills development in BARMM.

A final report will be published to include key outcomes and findings of the consultations.

Target participants

Stakeholders from government, employers and workers organizations, civil society and development partners are invited to the consultation. In addition to the stakeholders, ILO technical representatives and the research team will participate in the consultation.

Registration

Participants are invited to register online via Zoom.

For further information please contact:

Ms Ma. Lourdes Macapanpan Rivera
ILO Country Office for the Philippines
Email