Closing the gap: What it takes to build a future-ready workforce

Last June 5, Viventis held its first-ever National Skills Summit 2025 at the Isla Ballroom of EDSA Shangri-La, Manila, where we convened a diverse group of leaders from government and business who are committed to shaping the future of Filipino talent.

- By YU MING CHIN

The successful event explored crucial topics such as embracing lifelong learning, rebuilding educational foundations and bridging the skills gap through stronger collaboration between government, industry and academe.

It was an eye-opening event filled with valuable insights, and I'd like to share some key takeaways from my welcoming remarks.

There is no question that the world right now is in a topsy-turvy situation—marked by ongoing geopolitical wars, trade crises and nationalism-driven politics in established nations like America, the impact of Brexit and so on. At the core of every nation's priorities are its citizens, who form the backbone of the labor market. When we step back and start looking at the bigger picture, it all boils down to a crisis of employment, talent and skills.

A critical snapshot of the Philippine labor market

In the local context of the Philippine skills landscape, the unemployment rate has significantly declined in recent years from a high of 10 percent down to 3.9 percent. The biggest issue that should be addressed is the 13.4 percent underemployment rate. The so-called NEET, or not in education, employment, or vocational training, is a critical term unbeknownst to many. These refer to young people between 16 to 24 years old who are facing challenges in accessing education, employment, or any training opportunities.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority's latest Labor Force Survey, the proportion of youth in NEET in April 2025 is at 10.6 percent or approximately 2.12 million Filipino youths. This alarming number goes to show that there are still so many underskilled Filipinos in the country.