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Reforming the Philippine Labor Market

Author

Listed:
  • Gerardo P. Sicat

    (University of the Philippines School of Economics)

Abstract

The Philippine labor market is highly regulated and labor market policies tend to conform to standards of highly developed markets. The policies adopted by the government are geared more toward protecting the employed rather than promoting the overall employment of the labor force. These policies caused the country to veer off the path of labor intensive development in industrial enterprises and strengthened a powerful labor bureaucracy in the government. Side effects of the regulations and the culture surrounding the disposition of labor management issues encouraged rent-seeking and other motivational distortions in the behavior of labor when employed. The welfare policies as developed have contributed to the distortion in labor skill formation and the tendency to provide an increase of emoluments without any link to productivity growth. The balance between welfare and employment creation needs to be continually brought to the forefront. In undertaking reforms, productivity change needs to be placed in the center stage of reforms. Finally, the labor sector would find it in its interest to deal positively with the challenges of globalization. This means recognizing that labor market policies need to adjust to global competition. Furthermore, this emphasizes the need to accept that economic liberalization requires encouraging the growth of investments from all sources—including foreign direct investments. Such a route will create jobs and improve welfare for the working man.

Suggested Citation

  • Gerardo P. Sicat, 2004. "Reforming the Philippine Labor Market," Philippine Review of Economics, University of the Philippines School of Economics and Philippine Economic Society, vol. 41(2), pages 1-36, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:phs:prejrn:v:41:y:2004:i:2:p:1-36
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    File URL: http://pre.econ.upd.edu.ph/index.php/pre/article/view/170/584
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Campos, Nauro F. & Nugent, Jeffrey B., 2012. "The Dynamics of the Regulation of Labor in Developing and Developed Countries since 1960," IZA Discussion Papers 6881, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Gerardo P. Sicat, 2004. "“Successes” and Adjustment in the Philippine Labor Market," UP School of Economics Discussion Papers 200403, University of the Philippines School of Economics.
    3. Sy, Deborah Kim & Hosoe, Nobuhiro, 2023. "Consequences of a minimum wage increase in a migrant-sending country," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1057-1066.
    4. Deborah Kim Sy & Nobuhiro Hosoe, 2022. "Intended and Unintended Impacts of Minimum Wage Change: The Pivotal Role of Migration in the Philippines," GRIPS Discussion Papers 22-08, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies.
    5. Son, Hyun, 2008. "Explaining Growth and Inequality in Factor Income: The Philippines Case," ADB Economics Working Paper Series 120, Asian Development Bank.
    6. Sy, Deborah Kim & Hosoe, Nobuhiro, 2022. "Intended and Unintended Impacts of Minimum Wage Change: A Computable General Equilibrium Model Analysis with Cross-border Labor Mobility in the Philippines," Conference papers 333454, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    labor market policies; economic reform; employment; Philippines;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J38 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Public Policy
    • J40 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - General

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