SENATOR Joel Villanueva stressed the need for the next administration to bolster the digital economy as the country further recovers from the impact of the pandemic.

“All sectors of the economy are expecting to bounce back from the pandemic. While the next administration will have its hands full protecting broad sectors such as agriculture, it should also catch up with the fast-evolving digital economy,” Villanueva said.

He issued the statement as the Philippines received a positive business outlook from the Job Outlook Survey commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry.

“Digital skills can be developed through formal education, informal instruction, or training, which makes the digital workforce very dynamic in terms of learning and employment,” Villanueva said.

The senator said that the next administration would be dealing with the fourth, or even fifth, industrial revolution, as digital careers gained more strength during the pandemic.

“We are already playing catch up rather than staying ahead of the digital revolution. The Filipino workforce should benefit from the opportunities the digital economy provides, so the government should support them through skills training, digital upskilling, and making them competitive,” he said.

Villanueva added that digital careers in the country continue to flourish as it allows alternative work arrangements such as work from home.

He warned however that the 86.7 percent growth forecast for e-commerce jobs could potentially widen the job-skills mismatch if not quickly addressed by the government.

Villanueva expressed hope that Senate Bill 1834, the Philippine Digital Workforce Competitiveness Act, will be passed right after the May 9 elections.

The measure which he sponsored and authored, is pending at the Senate plenary.

The bill seeks to ensure all Filipino workers have access to and provided with digital skills competencies at par with global standards. It also aims to empower local government units to create policies supporting and promoting the growth and development of digital technology and digital careers.