[OPINION] Will AI take Filipino jobs? The answer depends on what we do now
Will artificial intelligence take our jobs? It is a question many Filipino workers are asking. It was also central to discussions at the 2026 Future of Work Forum organised by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP).
AI and clean energy may appear separate, but they raise the same question: can the Philippines turn technology and investment into better jobs and better lives?
Prosperity requires skills, strong institutions, productive businesses — and shared benefits.
The better question is whether the Philippines can prepare people for new opportunities while protecting those most at risk.
The evidence calls for neither panic nor complacency. The International Labour Organization’s 2025 global assessment finds that one in four workers is in an occupation with some exposure to generative AI. Yet only 3.3 per cent of global employment is in the highest exposure category. AI is therefore more likely to change jobs than remove them entirely.
AI can handle routine tasks, but judgement, accountability, communication and trust remain hard to replace. Technology should help people, not displace them.
For the Philippines, the stakes are high. ILO research estimates that 12.7 million jobs — more than one-quarter of employment — have some potential exposure to generative AI. Women face greater exposure because many work in clerical, administrative and service occupations.
But exposure does not mean job loss. Philippine firms can use AI to move from repetitive transactions to higher-value services. Our advantage cannot continue to rest on lower costs. It must increasingly come from Filipino skills and services that clients trust.
Young people face a challenge. The ILO’s Global Employment Trends for Youth 2026 estimates that 6.1 per cent of jobs held by people aged 15 to 29 are in occupations highly exposed to AI-related change. Many are middle-skilled jobs that provide entry into work. Meanwhile, jobs in science, engineering, health and information technology are growing. Young people need clear routes from learning into expanding occupations.
Clean energy presents an opportunity. The World Bank’s 2026 Philippines Economic Update estimates that, compared with a constrained pathway, a fully implemented, least-cost power transition could generate about 161,000 jobs by 2030. But without skilled workers, these opportunities may be delayed or lost.
This is why skills policy is economic policy — and youth policy. Investments do not automatically become Filipino jobs. Employers need skilled workers. Young people need apprenticeships, employment services and paths from learning into work. Government must provide standards, responsive training systems and support during difficult transitions.
Yet, businesses, government agencies, training institutions, and workers’ organizations often work separately. Training can remain disconnected from investment, while employers struggle to find qualified people. The problem is not Filipino talent. It is sustained coordination and delivery.
The Philippines’ roadmap under the United Nations Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions responds by bringing partners together around decent jobs and stronger social protection.
The proposed Better Energy Alliance could put this approach into practice in clean energy. It would bring companies, business organisations, government, training institutions and workers’ organisations around one table. Together, they could identify new occupations, update training standards, develop apprenticeships and recognised certification, improve workplace safety, and remove barriers to investment and job creation.
Led by the private sector, anchored in government and shaped through social dialogue, the Alliance would connect industry demand with national training. Workers’ organisations would help ensure that plans reflect workers’ needs. The ILO can contribute technical knowledge and international experience.
The Alliance should not become another short-term training project. It should become a lasting bridge between clean-energy investment, the national skills system and decent jobs.
The future of Filipino jobs is not waiting for us in 2027. We are shaping it now. Technology will not decide whether these changes widen inequality or create better jobs and shared prosperity. Our choices — and our ability to work together — will. – Rappler.com
Khalid Hassan is the director of the International Labour Organization’s country office for the Philippines.
