Senator Joel Villanueva, principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11962, also known as the Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) Act, has urged the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and other relevant agencies for an Artificial Intelligence (AI) ready national employment master plan.
Villanueva’s call follows a recent World Bank report that highlighted a decline in the share of high-skilled workers in the services sector—from 20% to just 6%—due to the growing awareness and adoption of Generative AI (GenAI).
According to the World Bank, sectors such as finance and insurance are among the most vulnerable to AI disruptions, followed by management and enterprise operations, as well as information-based businesses.
“Our employment plan needs to be AI-ready in all aspects because the jobs and livelihoods of our kababayans are on the line,” Villanueva said.
As Senior Vice Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, Villanueva has pushed for amendments to the proposed 2025 General Appropriations Bill, calling for funding to support the development of the TPB plan and the creation of micro-credentials aimed at upskilling Filipinos.
The senator emphasized the importance of establishing a dedicated technical working group within the TPB’s Inter-Agency Council to develop dynamic and innovative policies or programs for a globally competitive Philippine workforce in AI and technologically advanced world of work.
“The Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act is the platform we have created for the government to rationalize investment incentives for job generation, and it follows that the government agencies involved should come up with proactive strategies to ensure that Filipino workers are not left behind or at the tail end in the constantly evolving labor market,” Villanueva said.
The senator is advocating, as a proactive intervention, the creation of assessment tools for micro-credentials and stackable qualifications, particularly in AI and other emerging technologies.
“We’ve long been vocal about the need to equip our labor force with the right skills. AI is here to stay, and some jobs may be lost, but new ones are created as well requiring new skills set or competencies,” Villanueva, principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11230, or the Tulong Trabaho Act, said.
Emerging as a key innovation in higher and continuing education, micro-credentials are short, competency-based certifications that enable individuals to demonstrate mastery in specific areas.
“AI presents new economic opportunities, new ways of doing things, and may revolutionize work as we know it. To prevent job displacements, the Filipino workforce must be empowered with the skills for the future,” Villanueva ended.
