Showing posts with label labor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label labor. Show all posts

PostHeaderIcon US unemployment rate rises further to 10.2% in October

11/06/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post


According to the Labor Department that new jobless claims fell to 512,000 last week, the lowest level in 10 months. This was the kind of news we all wanted--- to complement a rosy outlook that the manufacturing sector was on a rebound to usher in the recovery from recession. Yet, signs of recovery was not buoyed by the joblessness report from last month:

“U.S. employers cut a deeper-than-expected 190,000 jobs in October, government data showed on Friday, driving the unemployment rate to 10.2 percent, the highest in 26-1/2 years… Payrolls have declined for 22 consecutive months now, throwing 7.3 million people out of work since December 2007, when the recession started.”--- Reuters (11/06/09)

This new unemployment figure is the highest since 1983. The dismal figure, worse than most economists predicted, comes earlier than expected and it suggests improvement in the economy will not come fast. (Photo Credit: Debtfree.Daniloff) =0=

RELATED BLOG: "Credibility: a big factor in economic recovery" Posted by mesiamd at 11/04/2009

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PostHeaderIcon Four million Filipino child-laborers

9/05/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post


With the objective to lower down the incidence of exploitation and child labor in the Philippines, the ABK2, a project funded by the US Department of Labor recently helped in rescuing about 6,800 child laborers--- at least 1,984 in in Cebu and 4,863 in Negros Oriental.

The children were removed from difficult and hazardous working conditions and were offered some education through the coordinated work of the World Vision Development Foundation, ChildFund International (formerly known as Christian Children’s Fund), and ERDA.

Child Laborers at a Glance:

Number: 4 million child laborers

Ages: 5-17 years old

Work Hours:
1 to 4 hours---2 million;
5-8 hours---1.3 million;
8 hrs plus---360,000

Areas of employment:
Scavenging
Prostitution
Agriculture
Fishing
Quarry &Mining
Domestic work

Education:
No schooling: 1.3 million

Before their rescue, the children were engaged in scavenging, peddling sex and drugs, doing domestic work, working in mines, fishing, agriculture, and quarry. They were part of an estimated 4 million children between ages 5 to 17 years in the labor force around the country.

A third of these children (1.3 million) do not attend school. Of those who attend school, they face problems such as learning difficulties, lack of school supplies, unsupportive teachers, and lack of time to study.

“In Negros Oriental, 4,591 children who were working in sugarcane plantations were pulled out from their workplace, followed by 162 kids in domestic work and 110 child laborers from commercial agriculture.

Nationwide, the project has rescued and assisted 23,095 child laborers. But ABK2 Project Director Daphne Culanag said the figure is insignificant compared to the estimated four million child laborers around the country. “The figure is just a drop in the bucket of the four million child laborers we want to help,”---Manila Bulletin (09/04/09, Mosqueda, MW Jr.)

The staggering number of children being exploited in the country belies the progress that is usually harped by the government. Social inequity has trickled in among the most vulnerable in society. In spite of efforts to generate jobs locally and abroad, the need for work to survive has forced young boys and girls to forgo their childhood, be independent, and help in keeping the family alive. (Photo Credit: Claude Barutel) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon More Filipino maids suffer during Ramadan

8/31/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post


Filipino maids in the Middle East suffer more during the fasting month of Ramadan when some of them are required to work long hours, lasting way beyond 8 hours per day. A number of these women are forcibly asked to observe fasting in domestic households against their will.

John L. Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator who works for the welfare of OFW;s, said the number of maids who runaway from their employers rise from 5 before Ramadan to about 6 to 8 per month----a result of intolerable work conditions which tend to worsen during the Muslim fasting season.

“Just last night, I received several short messages from OFW Marie (not her real name) asking for help as she couldn’t anymore endure staying with her employer. She complains that she works 18 to 20 hours a day, with only a single meal and not enough sleep,” Monterona said.---- Inquirer (08/30/09, Uy, V.)

In 2006, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) lists about 90,000 Filipino maids working abroad, mostly in the Middle East. There is a lot that the Philippine government and the host country have to do to improve the labor condition of house-helps working outside the country.

Exploitation of maids in abroad is still a problem in spite of international covenants by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the UN aimed to protect them and assert their human rights. =0=
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PostHeaderIcon Waste of manpower and labor

8/15/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post


The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) of the Philippines reported that each year about 200,000 examinees for licensure in different professions fail to pass the exam rendering them less capable to work and assume jobs in their field of training.
Based on PRC data, a total of 304,586 examinees took licensure exams in different fields. Of the figure, only 36.9 percent or 112,407 passed.

Examinees in the customs brokers test posted the lowest passing rate at 22.9 percent, followed by librarians at 23.6 percent. The highest rate of passers are those who take the geology, pharmacy, optometry guidance counselor, mining and geologic engineering tests whose passing rates range from 60 to 70%. The last nursing board posted a rate of 42%, lower than the previous year.---Philstar (08/15/09, Jaymalin, M.)

The high rate of flunkers in the board exams is a reflection of the quality of education these students are getting. Failing the test makes them less able to land a job and lead unproductive lives. There is an urgent need to make jobs available for these flunkers. It’s the duty of the Department of Education and the government to correct this waste of manpower and labor. (Photo Credit: scion_cho) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Recession not the only reason for lack of nursing hires in the USA

8/01/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post


The number of Filipino nurses seeking jobs in the United States fell 16% according to Trade Union of the Philippines (TUCP) secretary general and former senator Ernesto Herrera. The declining number of nurses trying to find work in USA was also reflected in countries like India, Korea, Canada and Cuba. NCLEX-takers who prepared for jobs in America showed a decrease.

“A total of 20,746 Filipino nurses took the NCLEX for the first time for the whole year of 2008 and Herrera said the number was lower by 3.5 percent compared to the 21,299 Filipino nurses that took the test for the first time in 2007.
Filipino nurses accounted for 37 percent of the 22,500 foreign-educated nurses who took the NCLEX for the first time in the first semester.”---Philstar (08/01/09, Maymalin, M.)

It’s hard to attribute the decline of hires to the economic meltdown alone occurring in the United States as Herrera explained. In the Philippines, factors such as unavailable visas for nurse applicants, lack of money to finance an expensive application, and preference to go to other countries or stay at home are significant reasons as well.

In the last 3 to 5 years, there is a current backlog of applicants waiting to be issued visas so they can work in the USA. The NCLEX and visa screens and other application fees have gone up. Many nurses have found alternatives in other countries like Saudi Arabia, Japan, United Kingdom and Australia as they impatiently wait for openings in USA.

For lack of jobs locally, thousands of nurses take employment in call centers, department stores and manufacturing. The staggering professional loss has not been addressed by the educational and labor departments.. With or without the recession, USA is still a preferred destination. Filipino nurses have very limited choices and many are willing to go anywhere and anyplace to find a job. (Photo Credit: Meijinmike) =0=

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

5/12/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | 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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PostHeaderIcon US jobless rate slows, but still high at 8.9%

5/10/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post


Banking on hope that USA is on its way to economic recovery, the Obama administration takes consolation in having less than the expected joblessness for the month of April. The US Labor Department reveals that unemployment rate last month has risen to 8.9%, the highest ever since 1983.

Many of the jobs filled are vacancies in the government bureaucracy and less from employment generated by the private sector. This is in spite of the bail-outs given to shore up the ailing financial health of big businesses. The companies which asked for help from the US government have hardly been rehabilitated.

"This was another bad report. There was a significant deterioration in the labor market again. The job loss is large, it is widespread, it is affecting every industry sector and every demographic group," Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics," Keith Hall said.---Voice of America News.com (08/09/09, Tate, D)

The data showed 539,000 jobs were lost in April, bringing the total number of unemployed to 13.7 million, up from 13.2 million in March. The half a million job loss was lower than what economic experts earlier predicted. It was unclear why the worrisome employment recond didn’t dampen Wall Street which ended in a positive territory as the week ended.

Americans are soberly waiting for the Obama "magic" to take effect. It's too early to say whether the US economy is on the road to recovery. The huge bail-out money infused into the financial market can't be a guarantee. Americans have learned a hard lesson from the reckless spending prior to the recession. Basically, the ordinary US citizen is on his own, just hoping that those who manage the economy of the country will come out doing the right thing. (Photo Credit: Ben Heine) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon More OFWs leave the country for jobs abroad

3/24/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post
It should tbe consolation to the Philippines that more Filipinos work outside the country in January this year than last year. Philippine Overseass Employment Administration (POEA) reports that 165,737 compared to 132,285 left the country for jobs abroad.

“This resoundingly affirms the sustained global preference for our skilled and semi-skilled overseas Filipino workers (OFW), and their productive role in staving off the adverse effects of the global slowdown in the greater portion of the world’s economies," said Labor Secretary Marianito Roque.---GMA TV News (03/24/09, Tan, JT)

The exodus of workers to foreign land has brought about US$16.4 billion dollars to the Philippine economy. In spite of the economic benefits, working abroad has caused a lot alienation, family displacement, and separation.

Filipinos still need to develop local placements and not rely on foreign work opportunities which disrupt local labor. There are many jobs with difficult working conditions abroad and Filipinos are forced to take them for lack of employment in the country. It is not hard to imagine that many of these jobs are menial, dangerous, and demanding that many locals of host countries refuse to take. (Photo Credit: Atsibatsi)=0=

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PostHeaderIcon For lack of local jobs, Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo asks Filipinos to leave for employment abroad

3/02/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post
Without enough jobs available locally, Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo continues to call on her people to pursue jobs abroad. About 500,000 employment positions, mainly in construction are available in the Middle East, Australia, and Canada.

This is the recommendation of the country's president (the "top economist and chief executive officer") for the employment-seekers present in a job summit at the Malacanang Palace.

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Augusto Syjuco advises Filipinos to take alternative courses in butchery, tile-laying, roofing, carpentry and other menial jobs just to survive in a growing economic crisis.

Something is wrong with their recommendations. The policy of sending Filipinos outside has drifted away from the task of government to provide livelihood for its people. For the government to adopt a policy of encouraging talents to leave the country is objectionable.

An estimated 9 million Filipinos are currently working abroad to support families and help avert the financial collapse of the country. Government critics complain that more Filipinos will be separated from their families and placed in risky conditions as a consequence of being forced to leave the country.

There is sadness in seeing a president advise its people to take menial work abroad as a way to build a nation back home---much more sadness in seeing officials propose second courses in preparation for jobs availabe outside. (Photo Credit: Mark Hillary) =0=

RELATED BLOG: "Who says we are spared from the effects of recession?" Posted by mesiamd at 2/27/2009

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