Bad hair days ahead? PHL finding it hard to hire beauticians, barbers



Are Filipinos in for more bad hair days soon?

The Philippines had experienced a shortage in hairdressers, barbers and beauticians in 2011 up to mid-2012, a Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) survey revealed.

Over a thousand vacancies for these jobs were left unfilled during this period, making the DOLE consider hairdressers, barbers and beauticians as among the most “hard-to-fill” occupations in the country.

Beautician and salon owner Jay Macasaddo attested to this fact. In the past year, he saw four of his colleagues pack their styling kits to work abroad, or in another salon.

“Mahirap kasi, lalo na ngayon. Kung senior hairstylist, dapat alam mo lahat. Kulang na, actually. Parang lahat na nagpupunta abroad. Kasi nga mas malaki ang kita abroad than here,” he said in an interview aired over GMA News TV's "News To Go."

Macasaddo has also been trying to hire a senior stylist for his salon for a week now, but to no avail.

According to the same DOLE survey, it usually takes more than two months for vacancies for “service workers” like beauticians and barbers to be filled.

Not making the cut

Barber Reynaldo Panisan, meanwhile, has been pulling his hair out everyday just to make ends meet.  During low days, he earns P250—way below the daily minimum wage in Metro Manila, which the DOLE pegged at P466.

Despite this, Panisan still likes what he does. He said he particularly likes exchanging stories with his fellow barbers.

“Hindi ka bilad sa maghapon. Andito ka lang sa shop. Tapos kwentuhan lang kayo ng mga kasama mo sa trabaho,” he said.

The DOLE, however, said expectations of a high salary is only partly to blame for the country's shortage in beauticians, barbers and hairdressers.

The main reason why some job vacancies in the country remained unfilled despite the high unemployment rate in the Philippines was that most applicants just do not make the cut.

According to the DOLE survey, one-third of business establishments in the country considered “lack of competency” as the reason why they are finding it difficult to recruit new hires.

The problem was most pronounced in the outsourcing business, where over 63,000 vacancies for call center agents went unfilled from 2011 to mid-2012.

In the television report, DOLE spokesman Nicon Fameronag said his agency has been coordinating with the Department of Education (DepEd) to properly train graduates in their chosen fields.

Earlier this month, the National Statistics Office said unemployment in the Philippines went up to 2.9 million in January 2014 against 2.7 million a year ago. — Andreo Calonzo/KBK, GMA News

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