The Federation of Free Workers (FFW) issued a stark warning, projecting that around five million Filipino jobs could be lost this year due to the combined impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and climate change.
FFW Chair Sonny Matula expressed concern that employment generated by the upcoming May elections would be insufficient to offset these projected job losses. “By mid to end of the first quarter, extreme weather is expected to wreak havoc and destroy crops, resulting in the displacement of workers in the agriculture sector,” warned FFW Vice President Julius Cainglet.
The BPO and manufacturing sectors are also facing significant disruptions as AI automation accelerates. Citing the International Monetary Fund, Cainglet noted that up to 14 percent of the country’s workforce could be at risk of displacement due to AI.
The impact of climate change has already been felt, with 2024 witnessing the loss of approximately 2.3 million jobs due to successive tropical cyclones. “It is almost certain that super typhoons will hit the country again, adding to the employment risks posed by heat stress by the end of the first quarter,” Cainglet emphasized.
The group also highlighted the lack of support for job creation from other sectors. Direct foreign investments have stagnated, partly due to the country’s high electricity costs compared to neighboring countries. Furthermore, the government has been criticized for insufficient investment in the agriculture sector, a key source of employment.
Women workers are particularly vulnerable to these job losses, the FFW warned.