FUTURE RP JOBS ARE IN ELECTRONICS,
AGRI-FOOD AND HEALTH SCIENCE- ANGARA

Senator Edgardo J. Angara called for improved and continuous education, training and acquisition of new skills in electronics, IT and telecoms, agri-food business and health sciences as these fields will generate jobs and income in the next 3-5 years.

"Electronics, IT and telecoms are our top exports, amounting to more than $29 billion in 2006 and more than 60% of our total export. This industry continues to grow. In fact, companies such as IBM Solutions Delivery, Accenture, Lawson, Headstrong, Perot Systems and others will need at least 6,000 additional manpower next year," he said.

Angara added that the global market for processed food is at a high of $3.2 trillion. "In the agribusiness sector alone, more than 2 million jobs will be created from now until 2010. Our supply of trained personnel in this field falls short of the demand."

He called for massive training in crops, livestock, aquatic resources and farming. Food engineers, chemists, biologists and microbiologists are also needed for the processing of raw materials and creating new product lines.

"Agriculture and food can only be expected to grow as the world population grows too. In three years, our population will grow to 100 million. We will need to find ways to feed all of them."

Finally, Angara identified medical tourism as an emerging industry. "The Philippines can expect to earn $300 million per year and provide opportunities for our doctors, nurses and medical practitioners right here in the country through a booming medical tourism industry," he said.

The market for medical tourism and retirement is expected to spend $2B in the next 5 years. At present, there are 25 partner hospitals offering medical tourism services with an expected 175,000 medical tourists each year.

To complement the expected boom in the medical tourism industry, Angara stressed the need for stepped up training of the health professions including industrial pharmacy and chemistry, and pharmacology.