Pinoy youth least satisfied with jobs, education, healthcare in Southeast Asia — poll
MANILA, Philippines — Filipino youth are the least satisfied with employment, education and healthcare among six Southeast Asian countries, according to a survey.
Vero, a communications consultancy operating across Southeast Asia, surveyed 2,700 Gen Z and Millennial respondents in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand
There were a total of 453 respondents from the Philippines.
In a statement on Friday, Vero said Filipino youth were the least satisfied with employment opportunities, education quality and access to healthcare compared to other countries.
“Though these issues are prevalent across the surveyed markets, satisfaction rates for these three areas of concern were the lowest among Filipino respondents. Other concerns include environmental protection, affordable housing, and effective taxation and resource management,” Vero said in a statement on Friday.
Employment
A total of 35% of Filipino Gen Z and millennials were dissatisfied with their job security. In line with this, 31% of Gen Z Filipinos and 36% of millennial Filipinos said that the lack of employment opportunities was the number one issue that they faced.
The Filipino youth desire job creation programs and better employment services.
Youth also believe that additional training and education can help bridge the gap between workers and employers.
“For these young generations, securing a stable job is directly tied to achieving a stable life, as it ensures not just the ability to meet daily needs, but also long-term access to healthcare, housing, and further education,” Vero said.
Education
The survey found that for many Filipino youth, the lack of employment opportunities is tied to the lack of access to quality education.
“Filipinos are the least satisfied with the cost of education in the region, with a satisfaction rate of 43% for Gen Z and 38% for Millennials,” Vero said.
Education is deemed costly in the Philippines. On top of tuition, parents must shoulder other school-related expenses such as uniforms, books, allowance and more.
Vero found that many Filipino youth forgo secondary and tertiary education due to high costs.
Beyond accessibility, Filipino youth were also dissatisfied with the quality of education they received. A total of 31% of Gen Z Filipinos and 30% of Filipino millennials found the quality of education in the country dissatisfactory.
“Many believe that the government should prioritize investments in educational facilities and technology, as well as enhanced professional development for educators,” the survey said.
Healthcare
Healthcare also remains a difficulty for many Filipino youth. Citing data from the Department of Health, Vero said that six out of 10 Filipinos die without seeing a doctor.
“Access to healthcare remains elusive for most Filipinos, with 10% of Filipino Gen Zs and 14% of Filipino Millennials citing it as the top challenge faced by the country,” Vero said.
Filipino youth reported the lowest satisfaction rates in the region's healthcare system.
Only 36% expressed satisfaction with the country's healthcare system. Over half cited high healthcare costs as a barrier, while 25% pointed to limited availability of facilities and equipment.
Still optimistic
Despite the dismal satisfaction ratings, many Filipinos were still hopeful that things will get better.
Vero said that four out of five Filipino youths have a positive outlook for the future.
The combined optimism rate for Filipino Gen Z and millennials are 84%.
“Overall, Filipino youth are more optimistic than their peers in Singapore (69%) and Malaysia (77%), with similar levels of hope for the future as young people in Indonesia (89%), Vietnam (89%), and Thailand (87%),” the report read.
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