MARTYRS FOR DEVELOPMENT

“NAPAKARAMING INHINYERO DITO SA AMIN NGUNIT BAKIT TILA WALANG NATIRA?”

Would it all be worth it?

As released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on January 5, 2023, the country’s inflation rate in December 2022 increased to 8.1%. In the same year, over 5.6 million Filipino families fall under the poverty line as reported by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

In terms of wage, according to the Department of Labor and Employment - Bureau of Local Employment in 2019, Chemical Engineers have the lowest starting salaries among engineers, at 10,000 pesos, while Network Engineers have the highest starting salaries, at 25,000 pesos. Moreover, the starting wage of Metallurgical, Mining, Civil, Electrical, and Geodetic Engineers ranges from 14,500 pesos to 20,000 pesos.

As the prices of commodities continue to surge, would 10,000 pesos be enough to put sufficient food on the table?

With the unattractive picture painted by this narrative, would the youth still be enticed to pursue engineering in the future? Are they ready to take on the misery accompanied by the honorific ‘Engr.’?

The demand determines the supply. In a ranking released by the UK-based Oxford Economics, the Philippines ranked 13th out of 14 Asia Pacific economies, with an overall scarring score of -0.4, in terms of its ability to attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDI). Moreover, the country only scored a -1.3 in infrastructure and logistics which is ironic as the Duterte administration invested US$164.7 billion in its “Build, Build, Build” program which was composed of infrastructural projects that targeted to improve the Philippines’ economic growth through enhancing mobility and connectivity across the country.

On the other hand, in the 2015 World Economic Forum, it was revealed that the Philippines produces less than 50 engineering graduates per 100,000 population which is significantly lower than that of our ASEAN neighbors such as South Korea, which produces 287, and Malaysia, which generates 175. Moreover, the Philippines ranked second lowest in science and mathematics among 79 countries in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which assessed the competence of 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics, and science. In the 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Scientific Study (TIMSS), which examined the math and science skills of grade four students, the Philippines ranked the lowest out of 58 countries.

The health of a country’s economy influences employment and impacts the attitude of the youth toward their career choices in the future (Zhang, 2007). Reflecting upon this statement, it could be assumed that the country’s worsening economic health, which equates to the lagging of industrial development, is one of the major factors as to why the interest of the youth in pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education decreases through time. This dilemma posed a huge concern among government officials and led to the filing of the 18th Congress - Senate Bill No. 369 which aimed to promote the establishment of public science high schools in underserved areas and the allotment of sufficient funds for it.

Few are drawn to STEM courses, particularly engineering, because quality education is not guaranteed in the country and there is little to no demand for it due to the lack of industries to house them. This scarcity also explains the low salary that Filipino engineers receive annually.

Neglect makes it easier to move on.

According to Pro-People Engineers and Leaders (PROPEL), outside the capital region, monthly salaries for entry-level engineering roles are much lower than those of the NCR, ranging from P10,000 to P15,000. Consequently, from 1998 to 2011, engineers, with 28%, ranked second to nurses and midwives, with 59%, in terms of the number of Science and Technology professionals in other countries. Based on Workabroad.ph’s yearly report, a chief engineer can earn P96,000 per month. Moreover, land-based engineers in the Middle East and Asia-Pacificcan earn P57,000 or P59,000 per month.

Seeing the difference between the salaries offered by the Philippines and foreign countries to Filipino engineers, it is understandable why a lot of them prefer to work and serve in other nations as they feel more appreciated and valued.

In college, engineers barely survive exams. In real life, they barely survive…

As the painting of the picture ends, an unappetizing narrative on the realities of the engineering field in the Philippines is made — a masterpiece that holds thousands of interpretations but only the eyes of aspiring Filipino engineers could give meaning to. Would it be seen positively — a hopeful one that change could start somewhere and that they could be the catalyst? Or negatively — rethinking one’s life decisions as to why they wanted the profession and did not think of dodging the misery of becoming a Filipino engineer in the first place?

While the dedication of those who still continue to pursue engineering despite hardships should be admired, may the government recognize that if they continue to neglect them, the low annual production of 50 engineering graduates per 100,000 population in the country might decrease until no one is motivated to become an innovator and a builder of this nation.

Engineers deserve better than being ‘martyrs for development’. They should not let themselves be devalued by the nation they put value into.