MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Aquino government is actively taking steps to improve the Filipino lives by creating more economic opportunities for Filipinos through earmarking more than P1.4 trillion for social and economic services in this year’s national budget, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” B. Coloma Jr. said.
According to the secretary, boosting the economy for the welfare of the people is anchored in creating more jobs aside from other factors. Coloma said generating more jobs remains a high priority for the Aquino administration.
The Department of Labor and Employment has rolled out many programs in order to maximize employment creation but the challenges remain, according to Coloma. He noted that there are structural adjustments to be made such as the need to match available skills in the market with requirements of the industry, Coloma said.
He also cited the shortage in 15 occupational categories in the country with very few or no qualified applicants that’s why the government opts to hire foreign workers. This is one of the challenges that the DOLE is addressing, he added.
“We remain cognizant of the fact that unless there is sufficient job creation, we are—we will find it more difficult to attain the economic targets. That’s why government remains determined to pursue all possible avenues for maximizing job creation,” he noted.
The government’s declaration on the lack of qualified applicants for certain job categories sends a signal to Filipino workers abroad to return home, the Palace official said.
In a related news, Coloma further stated that the 2014 national budget allocated funds for social and economic services in a bid to improve the overall quality of life of the Filipino.
“It may be a way of signaling Filipino professionals working abroad to consider returning to their own land because of improved economic conditions,” he said.
