Manila Times/Manila


President Benigno Aquino has promised to step up job generation programmes of his government after both poverty and unemployment are steadily increasing despite economic growth.
Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said that the president ordered his Cabinet to “intensify programmes on job creation and social protection in the most needy and vulnerable provinces.”
“President Aquino directed Cabinet members to be proactive in delivering
frontline services that will assist Filipinos in provinces where there is a high incidence of poverty,” Coloma told reporters.
He explained that the main agenda were “the action plans on job creation, social protection and poverty reduction presented by the departments comprising the Cabinet’s human development and poverty reduction cluster (HDPRC).”
According to him, Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan admitted although the government is “on track” with respect to its economic targets, it is lagging with respect to “social outcomes.”
“Growth in gross domestic product at 7.2% in 2013 is within the 7 to 8% annual growth target. Fixed capital formation has also been on the uptrend, reaching 21.1% in 2013 or just a shade below the 22% target,” Coloma said.
Based on their records, he noted that the unemployment rate was 7.1% in 2013 compared to the forecast range of 6.8 to 7.2%.
The poverty incidence, on one hand, has been reduced to 25.2% as of 2012, Coloma said, adding that the government target is to decrease poverty incidence by half, from 33.2% in 1991 to 16.6% by 2015.
The Palace official said that the Cabinet cluster on human development and poverty reduction recommended for the implementation of strategies with spatial and sectoral dimensions to ensure attainment of inclusive growth.
“Hence, the cluster mapped out specific interventions targeted at addressing the needs of the people in provinces with the most number of poor households (known as the Category 1 provinces), provinces where the proportion of poor households is high (Category 2) and provinces exposed to multiple hazards (Category 3),” he said
The objective for Category 1 provinces is to create more economic opportunities; for Category 2, enhance mobility of labour and goods; and for Category 3, to increase resilience since they are most vulnerable to disasters, he added
Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo said that his department will focus on increasing the country’s competitiveness in industry sectors with high employment multipliers such as shipbuilding, food processing, furniture, chemicals, automotive, copper and copper products, electronics and garments.
He said “continuing support will be given to the IT-BPM sector that has been a consistent generator of new employment opportunities. DTI will also pursue initiatives in further improving the ease of doing business and lowering power costs to enhance employment and job creation.”
Labour Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, said her department will facilitate job matching and jobseekers’ placement through “convergence programmes” in 30 priority provinces. She also committed to promote the mobility of professionals in up to 46 professions through mutual recognition agreements with other countries.
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, will help develop skill sets that will match available and potential job opportunities in the sectors of  agro-fishery and agro-industrial; manufacturing, tourism, IT-BPM, infrastructure and housing and logistics.
Meanwhile, Coloma said Vice President Jejomar Binay and Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman have also committed to address the social protection needs in the country.
Binay said the Housing and Urban Development Co-ordinating Council is targeting to provide 561,932 families with housing assistance estimated to cost P103.1bn from 2014 through 2016. The families include informal settlers, calamity victims and low-salaried government employees.
Soliman said families presently being supported by the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Programme will be given sustainable livelihood opportunities and expanded educational and health grants.