DOLE: Govt focusing on employment-intensive policies

For the next six years, the government will focus on employment-intensive policies, programs, and projects especially in key industries. Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said this effort part of the Philippine Labor and Employment Plan (PLEP) from 2011 to 2016. "The government aims to increase employment levels and address the jobless growth which we had in past years by providing an environment for employment-intensive policies, programs, and projects, as enunciated in the PLEP on key job generating areas and other sectors whose job generation capability will be enhanced," Baldoz said in an article posted on the Department of Labor and Employment website. She said that to achieve an employment-rich growth as called for in the labor and employment plan, the government will improve the business environment, develop industries, and focus more incentive package on key job generating areas, such as:

• Tourism
• Business process outsourcing
• Mining
• Housing
• Agri-business
• Logistics
• Shipbuilding
• Infrastructure
• Other high-potential industries that include production of home style products (furniture and furnishings, holiday décor, houseware, woodcraft, wearables, motor vehicle parts and components, garments, and construction and related materials.

Baldoz said the employment plan contains strategies that seek to attain inclusive growth by increasing not only the quantity, but also the quality of employment and to engage many unemployed in productive and decent work, uplift the needy, and spread the benefits of growth among the vulnerable sectors of the population. "The PLEP 2011-2016 essentially aims to achieve an employment-rich growth since inclusive growth can only be attained if all the people are economically engaged in productive and decent work or livelihood," she said. She added the objective is to increase exports and encourage foreign and domestic investments in these sectors so that they generate more jobs as they expand. Also, Baldoz said employment-intensive schemes will prioritize infrastructure projects that would support the development and job generation capacities of the agriculture and tourism sectors. These will include projects for irrigation, farm-to-market roads, post-harvest facilities, reforestation, including mangrove reforestation, of coastal areas, river dredging, seaport development, water supply systems, and drainage and sewage systems. The construction of classrooms will also be intensified. At least eight other strategies in the PLEP aimed at increasing employment levels. These are:

• Generation of green jobs through development of green programs
• Increase support including e-marketing for small and medium industries
• Pursue employment creation in trade agreements
• Support amendments to the Barangay Micro Business Enterprises Act to develop microenterprises including their capability to comply with labor standards
• Explore incentives to employers that preserve and create jobs and comply with labor standards
• Adopt measures to reduce pollution and waste through green programs and green jobs
• Enhance the enforcement of tariff and custom laws to address smuggling of goods
• Improve financial sector policies to encourage investments and higher savings.

— LBG, GMA News