THE HOUSE of Representatives has approved on second reading a measure seeking to address the problem of unemployment, underemployment and job-skills mismatch in the country through the creation of a multi-sectoral council.

House Bill 7370 will create a tripartite council composed of representatives from the government, academe and industry that will formulate and implement policies and relevant programs specific to job-skills mismatch.

Baguio City Rep. Mark Go, chairman of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education, said the creation of the council will allow educational institutions to better understand the labor market, help them identify where the jobs are, and what skills and competencies are required to fill these vacancies.

“It would focus not only in ensuring that graduates were able to land jobs, but more so on whether they were able to truly utilize their particular set of skills and competencies,” Go said.

Under the measure, tripartite council will be attached to the Commission on Higher Education for administrative and budgetary purposes.

Go stressed the need for open and continuous communication lines between learning institutions and the business sector in order to sustain a mutually edifying symbiotic relationship.