The Philippines is looking for other means to assist other sectors that the global recession could hit next.
Socio-economic Secretary Ralph Recto said the unemployment could spread out and may affect sectors such the sea-based workers as the global slump continues.
To shield these sectors from financial harm, Recto proposed the provision of unemployment insurance to be funded by national government and the Social Security System.
He said that the new program could be jumpstarted with an initial Php 6-Billion fund.
TV reports said the proposed insurance will grant unemployed SSS members Php 10,000 every month for six months while looking new jobs.
Recto discussed the proposal after the cabinet meeting in Sto. Tomas, Pangasinan where he presented the impact of the on-going global recession.
Aside from the unemployment insurance, Recto also proposed additional scholarships for college students from TESDA and the Commission on Higher Education.
Unemployment insurance, isusulong ng NEDA
Pinag-aaralan ng pamahalaan ang iba pang mga paraan para matulungan ang mga sektor na maapektuhan ng global recession.
Ayon kay Socio-economic Secretary Ralph Recto, maaring lumawak pa ang kawalan hanap-buhay at maapektuhan na ang iba pang sektor gaya ng mga sea-based worker sa patuloy na pananalasa ng resesyon.
Para mabigyan ng proteksyon, inimungkahi ni Recto ang pagbibigay ng unemployment insurance na popondohan ng pambansang pamahalaan at ng Social Security System.
Ipinanukala rin ni Recto ang pagbibigay ng Php 6-Billion para masimulan ang bagong panukala.
Naiulat na bahagi ng panukala ang paggawad ng Php 10,000 bawat buwan sa mga SSS member na walang hanap-buhay sa loob ng anim buwan habang naghahanap ng bagong trabaho.
Tinalakay ni Recto ang panukalang unemployment insurance makaraan ang cabinet meeting sa Sto. Tomas, Pangasinan kung saan pinag-usapan nila ang impact ng nagaganap na global recession.
Bukod sa panukalang unemployment insurance, inimungkahi rin ni Recto ang pagkakaloob ng karagdagang scholarship para sa mga estudyante sa kolehiyo mula sa TESDA at sa Commission on Higher Education.
New Tilapia strain to boost RP’s food production
Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) will be holding mass distribution of Tilapia fingerlings that will survive on saline or brackish water.
The new strain was developed by BFAR’s facilities in Dagupan City and Science City of Muñoz , Nueva Ecija.
Produksyon ng Pagkain, palalakasin ng bagong uri ng tilapia
Umaasa ang pamahalaan na makakatulong sa food production ang bagong uri ng tilapia.
Inihayag ni Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap na magsasagawa ang Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ng malawakang distribusyon ng fingerlings ng bagong uri ng tilapia na kaya mabuhay sa brackish water.
Ang bagong uri ng tilapia ay produkto ng mga pasilidad ng BFAR sa mga lungsod ng Dagupan, Pangasinan at Muñoz , Nueva Ecija.
PGMA reiterates need for ‘volunteerism’ among Filipinos
The President in a one-on-one interview with Bernie Errasquin, president of the Pangasinan chapter of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) at the resthouse of Presidential Anti-smuggling Group (PASG) chief Silvestre Villar at Barangay San Antonio said: “Ito ang panahon para mag-sama sama (tayong) lahat. Itukoy natin ang lahat ng ating atensyon sa pamilya at sa community.”
“So pwede tayo mag-focus sa mga initiatibo gaya ng paglilinis sa ating kalikasan, paglinis ng basura, pagtanim ng mga puno and then let us bring comfort to the poor through food banks,” the President said.
The President first made the call for volunteerism in her one-on-one with Fernando “Perry”
Pangan, Pampanga Press Corp president and assistant vice president and general manager of Pampanga based radio DWRW-FM last March 18.
PGMA checks on “Kalayaan Barangay” projects in rebel-affected Sasmuan
Accompanied by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, among other officials, the President’s first stop was Brgy. Malusac by chopper; and then on to Brgy. Mabuanbuan and onwards to Brgy. Sebitanan by Coast Guard speed boat.
On her way to the neighboring Malusac Elementary School (MES), where her cabalens from the islet barangay waited for her arrival since morning, the President got to tread on the newly-cemented barangay road that was paved by the 355th Engineering Wing of the Philippine Air Force (PAF).
The young students gaily greeted the President in the vernacular, shouting at the top of their voices, “Mayap a gatpa napun, Madam President!”
The President then traversed the school grounds where tents of a PGMA Caravan of medical and dental missions and other government services were set up for the local residents, bringing “sobrang saya” to the residents, according to Brgy. Capt. Susana Velasco, a widow.
The President then went up the stage and was welcomed by Mayor Nardo Velasco who told the President, thus: “We are very proud of you. This very day will never be forgotten… for it is the day of liberation against our bondage from poverty and hopelessness.”
Col. Pedro Rieza Jr., head of the PAF’s 355th Engineering Wing based at Basa Airbase, reported to the President that the 36 Pampanga barangays under the KAP are found in the towns of Porac, Floridablanca, Guagua, Mexico, Lubao and Sasmuan.
Rieza also announced that the AFP has 13 other projects in the pipeline for Sasmuan's islet barangays where students used to wear ‘tsinelas’ to school before the paving of their roads.
Also with the President were her son, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel ‘Mikey’ Arroyo, Peace Adviser Avelino Razon, Presidential Assistant Ed Pamintuan and Deputy Spokesperson Reli Fajardo.
PGMA moves to ensure global recession would not become an RP recession
The President said the formation of the Global Recession Impact Monitor (GRIM) is in line with the government’s efforts to make sure that the Philippines would not slip into recession like two-thirds of the world.
“Two-thirds of the world is in recession, but so far the Philippines is not. Yun ang iniiwasan natin na madamay tayo ng tuluyan,” she said.
Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito Roque, for his part, said the trend on employment situation in the country is now “better-than expected.”
He said that with his meeting with locators in the Calabarzon area, the overall assessment is that “they are approaching some level of normalcy.”
“Well, we just hope that it would be the situation,” he said, adding that the remedies of the western economies has started to kick-in within their own internal economy.
Live within means, PGMA orders government agencies
She made the order during a program over Radyo ng Bayan before she held an out-of-town meeting with her Cabinet when she visited the town of Sto. Tomas Tuesday morning.
At the same time, the President called on all government agencies to reduce their Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) by 1.5 percent so that this can be used to create emergency employment, particularly for laid off workers, locally and abroad.
The President stressed that the savings of government agencies and government-controlled corporations will be used in providing emergency employment that will also accommodate fresh graduates who cannot find jobs and will join the ranks of the unemployed.
The Philippines is still lucky, the President said, because it has not yet felt the impact of the recession, unlike other countries of the world.
While in Sto. Tomas, the President also announced significant reduction in poverty incidence from 23 to 15 percent which she credited to her programs to alleviate poverty by boosting food production which led to more food and higher income by farmers.
With President Arroyo in the radio program were Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, and Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino Jr. and Undersecretary Antonio Vilar Jr., chief of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group who is from Sto. Tomas.
PGMA orders release of P2-B for NLAQ irrigation projects
Sto. Tomas, Pangasinan, March 24 (PNA) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the release of P2-billion for the repairs, rehabilitation and restoration of neglected irrigation systems in the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle (NLAQ) during a full Cabinet meeting here today.
The President’s order was in response to the presentation by NLAQ Super Region Development champion and Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap who said farmers in the region need adequate logistical support to increase their productivity and boost national food security.
The amount will also partly fund the ongoing major irrigation projects in NLAQ, including the Agno River Integrated Irrigation Project in Pangasinan and the Balintingon Multi-Purpose Irrigation Project in Nueva Ecija that will expand irrigated lands in their surrounding areas by 20 percent.
This facility ensures the sanitation and freshness of the vegetables and meat products and increases their shelf life to one week.
The Cabinet meeting here in Pangasinan is the fifth in a series of Super Region meetings.
Ban on OFW deployment to Lebanon remains
Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito Roque disclosed this matter in a press briefing prior to the Cabinet meeting here today.
This means that “our government wants to make sure the protection and welfare of the OFWs will be assured before we lift the deployment ban,” he added.
The Labor Secretary said he may send a technical team from DOLE and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to Lebanon within the next two weeks to sit down and discuss pertinent details about redeployment and how ”we should finalize that MOU.”
The Philippine government stopped sending Filipino workers to the Middle Eastern state in 2006 when violence between the Hezbollah and Israeli forces escalated.
Close to a million jobs available this year, says DOLE
Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito Roque said the number of retrenched overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) did not significantly increase and remain at its 5,700 level.
In fact, he said, a total of 1,400 out of the 5,700 retrenched overseas workers have already been re-hired abroad while “the rest are still in the pumpline.”
He cited as example the case of Korea where there is a net job loss of only 37 workers from more than 300 who lost jobs last month.
He also said that the retrenched OFWs in the construction and retail establishment sectors in Dubai are now being channeled to other emirates like Abu Dhabi.
A total of 600 workers lost jobs in Dubai, but more than 300 have been able to get hired in the construction works at the United States consulate in Dubai.
In fact, Roque said, there are still more than 100,000 jobs in Qatar this year that needs to be filled up.
“Ang sabi nila ay i-consume na natin yung 106,000 na natitira for visa allocation for Filipinos in Qatar,” he said.
Roque said that he and Budget and Management Secretary Rolando Andaya had just signed a guideline yesterday for the 1.5 percent savings in the maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) to be utilized for emergency employment program.
All in all, he said, there are about 700,000 jobs available in the public sector alone, which breaks down as follows: 500,000 jobs as committed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), 180,000 jobs under emergency employment program and 10,000 jobs under the NARS program.
“We really can come out with a close to a million jobs available this year,” he said.
“Kung hindi sila masyadong choosy, there are enough employment available not only in the private but in the public sector as well,” he said.
The labor secretary acknowledged that the job matching is a problem which is why the unemployment rate remain high.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, for his part, asked the students and parents to help address the job mismatch problem by embarking into courses that have job markets after graduation.
