(CNN Philippines) — Almost 87,000 jobs are up for grabs in the Philippines this year – and that’s just for government positions alone.
According to the Staffing Summary of the 2015 National Expenditure Program (NEP) released by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Monday (April 20), a total of 188,255 vacant positions are actually needed in government right now, but the government coffers can only pay for 86,994 jobs given the funding requirements for agencies this year.
DBM records show a total of P30.8 billion had been allotted to fund the close to 87,000 positions, contrary to earlier reports which said there were 190,000 vacancies.
This year’s budget, the DBM said, can cover the vacant positions in the following agencies:
Department of Education
State Universities and Colleges
Department of the Interior and Local Government (including the Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and the Philippine National Police)
Technical Skills and Development Authority (under the Department of Labor and Employment)
National Defense College of the Philippines (under the Department of National Defense)
Philippine Science High School (under the Department and Technology)
Commission on Higher Education
The report added the Department of Health and the Veterans Memorial Medical Center under the DND are also included, as well as several unfilled positions in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.
According to Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, the government is looking to provide Filipinos with jobs “during this period of robust growth, requiring the support of a skilled and able workforce.”
Meanwhile, another P16.7 billion has been allotted “for the creation of 65,204 positions, which includes various agencies such as DepEd, DOH, and DILG.”
