UP Ibalon Bicol: ILO

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14 million Filipino adults are jobless, but the Arroyo administration thinks it’s just a “perception”

5/12/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

It’s one of the bad news that we Filipinos rather forget, but the Social Weather Stations (SWS ) registered a dismal picture of adult employment in the country. Thirty four (34%) of Filipino adults, approximately 14 million people are jobless. No one can argue against the strain unemployment brings to the economy.

According to the SWS, the number does not include those who don’t look for jobs---those who are sick, the disabled, home mommies and daddies. Philippine unemployment is almost 4x as high as the jobless rate (8.9% as of April, 2009) in USA at this time. Jobless Filipinos are more than 10x the entire population of Trinidad and Tobago and 2x greater the inhabitants of Georgia, a former state of the Soviet Union.

“In its First Quarter Social Weather Survey last Feb. 20 to 23, SWS also said 13 percent of adults voluntarily left their old job, while 12 percent were retrenched. The 12 percent who were retrenched included nine percent who were laid off and three percent whose previous contracts were not renewed."---GMA TV News (05/12/09)

Since I am forcibly retired because of illness, I meet many Filipinos my age who don’t work----either they have given up looking because there’s almost no job for them out there or they have been laid off too early as early retirees----an option in the company of work. Able-bodied and healthy, some of the jobless have not been employed all their lives, spending their time sitting around.

What will these jobless adults do if they live long enough to grow in an old age of 100? What happens to a country where more than a third of adults have no way to earn a living? How long can the people take their poverty?

Since 2005, the joblessness is persistently high----more than 20%. Many companies have closed shop and left the country. The few jobs available are positions in the government, not in the private sector. Many have to travel abroad to work as overseas foreign workers (OFWs,) yet this too has suffered a slump.

It’s truly sobering to think of the huge unemployment problem. But in times of recession, one needs to be creative and persistent. We can’t rely on the word of the Arroyo administration to survive. It’s a foul joke for the government to dismiss this staggering joblessness as “perception.” Interestingly, Pres. Gloria Arroyo also says the same thing about corruption.

International Labor Organization (ILO) Definition of Unemployment

“The current definition of "unemployed" is based on the International Labor Organization (ILO) concept.

Adopted by the National Statistics Office in April 2005, the ILO concept sets three criteria in order for a person 15 years old or older to be considered as unemployed. He or she must be:
1. without work, AND
2. is actively seeking work OR not seeking work due to valid reasons, AND
3. currently available for work.

The old Philippine definition of "unemployed" considered only the first two criteria.

Under the new definition (ILO concept), people unavailable for work, or are available for work but are not looking for work, are not part of the labor force and are not considered as unemployed.”---Source: GMA TV News/ National Statistics Office (NSO) (05/12/09) (Photo Credits: DenesG1; No Worries Windor)

RELATED BLOGS: Typhoon Emong’s death toll of 43, a drop in OFW employment and a rise in H1N1 flu Posted by mesiamd at 5/12/2009; For lack of local jobs, Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo asks Filipinos to leave for employment abroad Posted by mesiamd at 3/02/2009 ; Fearless economic forecasts Posted by mesiamd at 3/11/2009; Fearless economic forecasts Posted by mesiamd at 3/11/2009; Fewer local jobs, rising numbers of OFW’s & fishermen plucked from stormy sea Posted by mesiamd at 1/22/2009

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Labels: Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, ILO, International Labor Organization, joblessness, labor, National Statistics Office, OFW, OFW market, SWS, Totie Mesia, unemployment

Who says we are spared from the effects of recession?

2/27/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

Presidential spokesman Anthony Golez said the Philippines wasn’t among the Asian countries affected by the worldwide recession. It might be a lie that Malacanang Palace wanted us to believe. He based his conclusion to the non-inclusion of the country in the International Labor Organization (ILO) list which projects 113 million jobs loss in Asia as the world economy continues to falter (Malaya , 02/20/09 Bengco, R.) According to ILO, the expected unemployment number this year will be more than the 22.3 million jobs Asian countries lost in 2008.

It will do us good if we look closely at the data Golez is referring to before we celebrate. We aren't that trusting anymore. The effects of the financial meltdown are just beginning to show. It is foolhardy for him and the government he represents to assume that we aren’t affected.

The unemployment we see in the street is a better gauge than the assurances of government officials. We see what food we eat and what clothes we wear. Most of us are familiar of the signs of chronic job loss and their aftermath. The employment stagnation in the country is long-standing and antedates the global economic meltdown.

5,500 OFWs lose jobs—--Arroyo

"Some 5,500 Filipino overseas workers have lost their jobs abroad and returned home over the past four months, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said Thursday. The Department of Labor announced earlier this week that 39,000 Filipinos had lost their jobs since October, a number which included overseas workers."---Agence France-Presse/ Inquirer (02/26/09)

Foreign companies are pulling out their business operations in Manila. Unemployment among fresh graduates continues to rise. There is pervasive underemployment and lay-offs. The rush for jobs abroad doesn’t abate even if applicants downgrade their qualifications just to grab work even if it is risky and suffers from inadequate pay. With a bearish investment climate, people are afraid to shell out money that stir spending and growth. The number of impoverished Filipinos continues to rise.

Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo’s job creation is too little to assuage the fear and anger of the public. The government projects that are quick-disbursing, high-impact, and labor intensive (according to Management Dir. Hermogenes Esperon) don’t come close to reality when one sees the widespread unemployment, poverty, and corruption in the country. That’s why we rely early on ourselves more than depend on announced legislated measures by the administration. (Photo Credits: Slavishtubesocks; JRIOrion)=0=

3,000 IT & 10,000 semiconductor jobs at risk

"At least 3,000 information technology (IT) jobs are at risk in first quarter alone while 10,000 positions in semiconductor industry could be shed during the first half of the year due to the global economic slump."---GMANewsTV (02/28/09)

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Labels: economy, employment, ILO, International Labor Organization, joblessness, jobs, national economic planners, OFW, OFW market, overseas worker, recession, Totie Mesia, workplace

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14 million Filipino adults are jobless, but the Arroyo administration thinks it’s just a “perception”

Who says we are spared from the effects of recession?

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