Villanueva: sustained employment recovery to combat high poverty incidence

Senator Joel Villanueva urged the government to provide long term solutions for job generation in order to address the high poverty incidence in the country.

The senator made the statement after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported an 18.1% poverty incidence or 19.99 million Filipinos who consider themselves poor in 2021.

The PSA also reported a 7.8% unemployment rate for 2021, equivalent to 3.71 million jobless Filipinos.

"The government should ensure that there are quality job opportunities for Filipinos so that they can escape poverty. These should be sustainable jobs with income enough to feed families and provide their basic needs. The longer they are unemployed, the poorer they get," Villanueva said.

The senator filed Senate Bill No. 129 or the Trabaho Para sa Lahat ng Pilipino Act which will institutionalize the government's National Employment Recovery Strategy (NERS) and expand it to be the National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) to address the issue of unemployment in the country.

The NERS initially planned to create up to 2 million jobs by the end of 2022, and has reportedly generated 1 million jobs as of the end of 2021 according to then Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez last May.

"We should follow through beyond this short-term strategy which ends this year. We need a systemic and long-term solution for job generation to beat the system of long-term poverty in the country," Villanueva said.

"This bill will stimulate national and local growth and development through investment incentives linked to the creation of more decent employment to address unemployment, underemployment, and rising precarity and informality of work arrangements", the senator explained.

Senate Bill No. 129 also aims to promote the employability, competitiveness, wellness, and productivity of workers through efficient and effective delivery of skills development and enhancement programs, and maximization of opportunities in the labor market in a post-Covid-19 world.

"Our proposed measure will also help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to provide support and incentives and ensure the security and preservation of employment," he added.

The senator noted that the administration's target of reducing poverty by 9% by the end of six years is possible as long as there are quality jobs available.

"By addressing unemployment, we are on the right track to reduce poverty in the country," Villanueva said.

"Trabaho ang susugpo sa kahirapan" - Villanueva

Hinimok ni Senador Joel Villanueva ang gobyerno na gumawa ng pangmatagalang solusyon sa paglikha ng trabaho upang masugpo ang kahirapan sa bansa.

Ito ang pahayag ng senador matapos iulat ng Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) na umabot sa 18.1 porsyento ang poverty incidence sa bansa noong 2021, na katumbas ng 19.99 milyong Pilipino na nagsasabing sila ay mahirap.

Samantala, ang unemployment rate noong 2021 ay nasa 7.8 porsyento, o 3.71 milyon na Pilipinong walang trabaho.

"Dapat siguruhin ng gobyerno na merong oportunidad ang mga Pilipino na makakuha ng dekalidad na trabaho para makatakas mula sa kahirapan. Sustainable dapat ang mga trabahong ito na may sapat na kita para magpakain ng pamilya at magbigay ng basic needs. Kung mas matagal na walang trabaho ang ating mga kababayan, mas lalo silang maghihirap," sabi ni Villanueva.

Kaya inihain ni Villanueva ang Senate Bill No. 129 o ang Trabaho Para sa Lahat ng Pilipino Act na magtatalaga ng National Employment Recovery Strategy (NERS) ng gobyerno at papalawigin ito para maging National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) upang tugunan ang kawalan ng trabaho sa bansa.

Paunang plano ng NERS na lumikha ng hanggang 2 milyong trabaho sa pagtatapos ng 2022, at ibinalita noong Mayo na nakagawa na ito umano ng 1 milyong trabaho sa dulo ng 2021 ayon sa noon ay Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez .

"Ituloy po natin ang short-term strategy na ito na matatapos ngayong taon. Kailangan natin ng sistematiko at pangmatagalang solusyon sa paglikha ng trabaho upang masugpo ang sistema ng matagalang kahirapan sa bansa," sabi ni Villanueva.

"Pinapasigla nito ang pag-unlad sa bansa sa pamamagitan ng mga insentibo sa pamumuhunan na nakakawing sa paglikha ng disenteng trabaho, pagtugon sa unemployment at underemployment, gayundin ang pamamayagpag ng informal work arrangements," paliwanag ng senador.

Isinusulong ng Senate Bill No. 129 ang "employability, competitiveness, wellness, and productivity of workers" sa pamamagitan ng skills development and enhancement programs, at sa pag-maximize ng mga oportunidad mula sa pagbubukas ng ekonomiya ng mundo mula sa pandemya.

"Tutulungan din ng ating panukala ang ating mga micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sa pamamagitan ng suporta at insentibo upang mapanatili ang mga trabaho nilang nililikha," dagdag ng senador.

Sinabi rin ni Villanueva na posibleng maabot ng kasalukuyang administrasyon ang target nitong paliitin ang poverty incidence hanggang 9% matapos ang anim na taon hangga't may dekalidad na trabaho na abot-kamay para sa mga Pilipino.

"Nasa tamang daan tayo sa pagsugpo ng kahirapan basta may trabaho tayong inilalaan para sa ating mga kababayan," aniya.