A BIG boost to addressing jobs mismatch with employers' demand is the entry of Asian Development Bank via a $400-million policy-based loan to support the Philippine government's efforts to increase youth employment.
At present, Public Employment Service Office (PESO) offices of local government units provide employment to the youth through its Special Program for the Employment of Students during vacation, or precisely in April every year and grant them salaries for 20 days of immersion in government offices and fast food chains.
At least, the salaries received by the students can augment funds for their tuition and other school needs.
I understand that Asian Development Bank has a long standing partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) regarding youth employment programs and it has plans to continue helping generate more job opportunities for young Filipinos.
I hope private Filipino entities would follow suit and give opportunities for employment to Filipino compatriots. ADB has a list of unemployed Filipinos, particularly the women sector and supports our labor policy referral including introduction of unemployment insurance.
ADB loan aims to address the skills mismatch between young job seekers and the competencies required by employers and I hope it will be used for this purpose.
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Budget delays and boo-boos. There are apprehensions that the General Appropriations Bill for 2020 may suffer the same delay as last year's budget. Oh no!
But Senate President Vicente Sotto III expressed confidence that there would be no sad repeat of the Senate-House impasse over the 2019 national budget, blaming the P95 billion worth of post-ratification insertions by the lawmakers. Mahilig yata ang mga kongresista natin sa insertions!
The bad effect on the economy was witnessed by us, caused by the delay. Ayayay!
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A bit of good news for seniors. Some 100 senior citizens in Pasay City were hired as temporary airport ushers by way of an agreement between the local government unit of Pasay City, the Manila International Airport Authority, Ang Probinsiyano party-list and Dole.
Reportedly, they will perform manageable tasks such as guiding airport passengers to their seats and to offices the patrons need to go to or which lanes to queue in.
The seniors will work for three hours in the morning and another three hours in the afternoon for 15 days with a salary of P537 daily wage rate.
I just hope other local government units will employ seniors in their turfs.
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Non-renewal of ABS-CBN franchise. It is sad to hear that this entertainment giant network has been the target of the President's ire that its franchise will not be renewed by Congress, which is dominated by Duterte's allies.
Whatever will be the fate of the franchise, so many of its stars, artists and other workers will suffer the loss of their respective jobs just because of Duterte's tantrums and vindictiveness. Whew!