The Employers Confederation of the Philippines is considering hiring workers from the informal sector as it plans to revive ECOP’s 2025 Jobs Program with the help of major conglomerates in the country. The initiative aims to create at least a million jobs for the Filipino workforce.

“The Jobs Program was revived again through the initiatives of the advisers of the President, the PSAC (Private Sector Advisory Council), in cooperation with other industry groups. Examples of the informal sectors are farmers and fisherfolk who don’t have a regular income,” said Sergio Ortiz Luis Jr., president of ECOP, during the launch of ECOP's 50th Anniversary Branding on Tuesday in Makati City.

According to an International Labor Organization study, the informal sector accounts for around 60 percent of the total Philippine workforce, with those in this sector being exempt from the minimum wage.

Ortiz Luis Jr. said the program is supported by the country’s biggest conglomerate leaders, including PSAC lead convener and Aboitiz Group president and CEO Sabin Aboitiz; Tessie Sy-Coson of the SM Group; Lance Gokongwei of the Gokongwei Group; and the Ayala Group, among others.

Joey Concepcion, president and chief executive of the publicly listed food and beverage company RFM Corp, is also participating in the 2025 Jobs Program via his advocacy group, Go Negosyo.

ECOP’s Jobs Program was launched in 2021 with the goal of creating 1 million jobs for the Filipino workforce. However, it was hampered by the resurgence of the Covid-19 virus that year.

In 2022, the Jobs Program successfully met its target of creating 1 million jobs.

In addition to hiring from the informal sector, Ortiz Luis Jr. mentioned that they are also considering employing K-12 program graduates.

“That’s the reason why the government, with the help of the private sector, should double-time to entice more foreign investors into the country to create more jobs for Filipinos. The service sector, such as restaurants, is willing to hire these informal workers and K-12 graduates,” he said.

The 2025 Jobs Program is part of the many projects ECOP has planned for its 50th Anniversary celebration this year, dubbed “ECOP@50: Empowering Employers, Building the Nation.”

This year, ECOP will also launch the "Employment Connect Opportunities" digital platform for employment facilitation, furthering the group’s policy advocacy on job generation in collaboration with private and public institutions.

On the government side, ECOP will be working with TESDA and the Department of Labor and Employment on this advocacy.