ILO pledges to help Philippines generate decent jobs

The International Labor Organization made a pledge Monday that it would help the Philippine government review its employment policies and strategies in order to create decent, productive employment for Filipinos. "With the economic crisis, we have seen the largest increase in unemployment since the Great Depression," said Lawrence Jeffrey Johnson, the new country director of ILO. "The impact of the economic crisis on vulnerable employment and labor productivity means the number of workers living with their families in poverty is likely to have increased. We see workers living on the margin and at risk of falling further into poverty," he said in a statement. In his inauguration last week, President Benigno Simeon Aquino III said he would revive the emergency employment program to provide local communities with jobs for and help develop the economy. He pointed out that Filipinos need not look for employment abroad. Aquino ordered the Labor Department and other relevant agencies to be more responsive to the needs and welfare of overseas Filipino workers, citing the need to boost efforts to fund quality education, including vocational education for those who could not find decent work in the country. Johnson recommended that the Philippines should find ways to increase productivity. "We believe that productivity and employment growth are the cornerstones of the fight against poverty," he said. "A highly trained and educated labor force, combined with easy access to capital and technology, can lead to a significant increase in productivity and help boost the country's economy. Dialogue with employers and workers' organizations is also crucial," he added. Johnson officially took over as the new director of ILO in the Philippines on July 1, following the retirement of Linda Wirth. —VS, GMANews.TV