Rowegie Abanto, ABS-CBN News
Nov 24, 2022
MANILA — The Philippines' population agency has said that the increasing number of employable Filipinos can boost the nation's economy - which is still reeling from the effects of COVID-19 lockdowns - if they are "Fully maximized and harnessed."
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority's 2020 Census of Population and Housing, more than half - or 69.40 million - of 2020's total population are within the 15 to 64 years old working-age bracket.
The Commission on Population and Development said the "Huge segment" provides an opportunity to elevate the country's socioeconomic conditions.
"Otherwise, we might miss the chance to hasten the country's socio-economic growth to further improve the quality of life of every Filipino."
The commission recently noted that the country's fertility rate has dropped, offering an opportunity to improve the nation's socio economic development.
"Focus should now be on ensuring that the quality and capacity of the country's human resources are enhanced. At the household level, lower fertility also means greater opportunity for personal development of couples and individuals, which can redound to more savings and investments," Tacardon said in a separate statement.
"[W]e call on the present administration to exert supplementary efforts in investing in the nation's human and physical capital by channeling resources on health, education, infrastructure, and technology, which can help our country further boost productivity.