By Bernice Camille V Bauzon/Manila Times
The recent report of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) that 10.5mn Filipinos are unemployed is alarming and only shows that the much-touted economic growth has left millions behind, the camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay said yesterday.
Binay’s spokesman for political affairs Rico Quicho said there were only 9mn Filipinos unemployed three months ago.
“This disproves the statement of President Aquino in his State of the Nation Address that even third year students can already find work,” he said.
“Where are the jobs you bragged about?” a statement from the Office of the Vice President said.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in its July Labour Force Survey also said that 8.32mn Filipinos are underemployed and 2.72mn are unemployed.
“The rise in underemployment for the period has been driven by full-time workers who still want additional hours of work; whereas, the number of underemployed part-time workers actually decreased by 6%, accounting for 263,000 people,” Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.
Quicho noted that unlike Malacanang, Binay made “tangible strides” in combating unemployment and underemployment when he was Makati mayor.
The vice president plans to replicate the Makati model at a national level to help create a strong economy if he gets elected as president, Quicho said.
“The vice president has already done this as mayor of Makati through his Dual Training System (DTS) programme in the University of Makati,” he said.
“Students are equipped with a set of skills that companies need. Over 90%of UMak graduates are hired within three months from graduation,” he added.Quicho noted that the Makati experience is a real assistance to Filipinos as it equips them with the skills they need to gain employment.
“This contributes to the work force, and a strengthened work force in turn contributes to creating a strong economy,” he said.
He also mentioned that under a Binay presidency, agriculture, manufacturing, export, business process outsourcing and tourism — the main sectors that generate jobs — will be given priority for development.
“The vice president also stressed that he will support small businesses and push for development in the countryside as these would lead to more employment opportunities for our people,” he said.
