ICT workers highest paid among industries

MANILA, Philippines — Workers in the information and communications industry received the highest monthly wage last year, while those in the agriculture sector had the lowest, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Data from the PSA showed that workers in the information and communications sector had an average monthly wage of P43,676, topping other industries. 

This  was followed by professional, scientific and technical activities at P36,096 and electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply at P35,188. 

On the other hand, the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry had the lowest average monthly wage rate of P14,615. 

The PSA defines wage as the sum of basic pay and regular cash allowances.

Last year, the average monthly wage rate of a time-rated worker on a full-time basis was P21,544, with a monthly basic pay of P20,309 and monthly allowance of P1,235. 

Ateneo de Manila University economics professor Leonardo Lanzona Jr. said in an email that the wages are based on skills needed to perform the job.

“Because of the required specialized skills in ICT  (information and communications technology), fewer workers are found in the sector and lower outputs are produced, both of which raises wages and prices of its products,” he said.

In the case of agriculture, he said less skills are required and more workers are found  in the sector, resulting in greater outputs.   

“This then leads to lower wages and output prices compared to ICT,” he said.

By location, the National Capital Region had the highest average monthly wage rate for time-rated workers on a full-time basis at P29,310.

This was followed by Calabarzon with P19,711 and Central Visayas at P19,084. 

Meanwhile, those in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao had the lowest average monthly wage rate of P11,495. 

In terms of gender, female workers earned an average of P22,236 per month, higher than P21,009 for male workers. 

When it comes to occupations in specific industries, PSA data showed that aircraft pilots and associate professionals in the air transport industry earned the highest average monthly wage rate of P137,999.

Air traffic safety electronics technicians in the air transport sector ranked second with an average monthly wage rate of P131,536, followed by chemical engineers in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products with P101,996.

Mathematicians and actuaries and applications programmers, both in insurance, reinsurance and pension funding except compulsory social security, got the fourth and fifth spots with average monthly wage rates of P99,154 and P96,360, respectively.