The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has released the latest results of its Labor Force Survey (LFS), highlighting the top occupations in terms of daily basic pay. According to the April 2024 LFS, managers earn the highest average daily wage at P1,400 per day. Managers are defined by the PSA as individuals who plan, direct, coordinate, and evaluate the overall activities of enterprises, governments, and other organizations.
Professionals follow closely behind, earning an average daily wage of P1,222. These professionals apply scientific or artistic concepts and theories in their tasks, including fields such as sciences, social sciences, legal and social services, and art.
The third highest daily basic pay goes to armed forces occupations, with an average of P1,208 per day. This category includes all jobs held by members of the armed forces, excluding civil defense roles like police and customs inspectors.
Technicians and associate professionals rank fourth, receiving an average daily wage of P792. These workers perform technical tasks related to the application of scientific or artistic concepts, operational methods, and government or business regulations.
Rounding out the top five, clerical support workers earn an average daily pay of P728. Their roles involve recording, organizing, storing information, and performing clerical duties such as money-handling, travel arrangements, and appointments.
The PSA also reported the bottom five occupations in terms of daily basic pay. These are elementary occupations (P403), skilled agricultural, forestry, and fishery workers (P443), service and sales workers (P508), craft and related trades workers (P541), and plant and machine operators and assemblers (P554).
Elementary occupations involve simple routine tasks requiring the use of hand-held tools, such as cleaning, restocking supplies, basic maintenance, and assisting in the kitchen. Skilled agricultural workers prepare soil, sow, fertilize, harvest crops, breed and raise animals, and sell produce. Service and sales workers’ tasks include housekeeping, food and beverage preparation, providing basic health care, modeling for advertising, hairdressing, law enforcement, and selling goods at markets. Craft and related trades workers perform tasks requiring specific knowledge and skills in construction, handicrafts, pottery, glassmaking, and metalworking. Plant and machine operators and assemblers operate and monitor industrial and agricultural machinery and equipment.