Jobs generation, PGMA's legacy to Filipinos
By Mediatrix P. Cristobal
MANILA, March 12 (PNA) -
The Arroyo administration generated 14.2 million jobs from 2004 to
November 2009, much above the 10 million maximum target.
More people are now employed thus more families have
improved lives. The magnitude of the ripple effect to Juan de la Cruz
was simply inconceivable.
To further create the much needed jobs in the country, the
government developed the labor and skills-intensive business process
outsourcing (BPO) industry through the establishment of digital
infrastructure, creation of appropriate policy and legal environment and
development of human capital.
These efforts bore fruits as from just 2,400 call center
employees employed in 2000, the sector employed 500,000 BPO-information
communications technology (ICT) workers, including 280,000 call center
employees in 2009.
Sharing a chunk of the pie dominated by India and Chinese,
the Philippines rose to be the world's second top BPO destination where
not only customer support reigns supreme, but also complex
knowledge-based services such as software development, animation and
legal and medical transcription.
The BPO is apart from the country’s top three job
contributors which are the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs),
housing and agribusiness land development sectors, according to the
Office of the President website.
The housing sector generated a total of 3.78 million jobs
from construction of half a million housing units during the six-year
period. This figure comprised 27 percent of the total 14.2 million jobs
generated.
On the other hand, the MSME sector employed 3.5 million new
employees during the same period, while the agribusiness land
development sector, 2.44 million new workers.
Other sectors which contributed to the 14.2 million jobs
generated were: infrastructure (1.52 million); tourism (1.50 million);
economic zones (574,058); ICT (387,721); apprenticeship through the
Kasanayan at Hanap-Buhay (KasH) Program of Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority (432,347); and mining (75,269).
Likewise, many country destinations opened doors to overseas
Filipino workers (OFWs) as a result of good foreign affairs
relationships.
Back then, Saudi Arabia, Hongkong, United States and a
handful of European countries were the only destinations for OFWs, where
most of the job opportunities were limited to blue collar jobs.
Now, countries like Korea and Japan, and many others are
fast rising to be new country destinations for Filipino professionals
despite the global economic crisis, mainly needing medical workers who
have longed to help improve their families’ lives.
These countries, Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito
Roque stressed, have strong preference for Filipino workers because of
their “work ethics, world-class skills and sunny disposition at the
workplace.”
Already a total of 1.28 million OFWs were deployed during
the period of January to November 2009, up from the 841,628 OFWs
employed in 2000.
Recognizing the role of small-scale and medium enterprises
in local economy, where 99 percent of registered companies in the
country belong, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo provided P179.70
billion in loans to 159,711 SMEs from 2004 to October 2009.
The Chief Executive also allocated funds to help Filipinos
set up livelihood through credit and other microfinance services. A
total of P157.41 billion in loans were released from 2001 to October
2009 to 6.91 million borrowers.
President Arroyo also led the bridging the gap between
workers and employers through holding regular jobfairs.
At least one job fair is being held in various places in the
country to attract employers, workers, as well as new laborforce
entrants looking for employment, while big job fairs are being held
during national holidays such as Labor Day and Valentine's Day. (PNA)
LDV/MPC
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