Legarda calls for increased Efforts to Address the Country’s Unemployment Issues

Senatorial candidate, Loren Legarda, has pushed for the continued effort to address unemployment while supporting sustainable development in the country during her visit to Cavite for a campaign sortie.

While the unemployment rate recently showed signs of slowing at 6.4% Legarda notes that pursuing employment alternatives will greatly aid the provision of jobs and address lingering issues brought about by the pandemic and natural disasters.

“Unti-unti na pong bumabangon ang ating bansa mula sa pandemya at sunod-sunod na kalamidad. Mula 7.3 million na Pilipinong walang trabaho sa kasagsagan ng pandemya noong April 2020, malaki na po ang ibinaba ng statistics sa kasalukuyang 2.93 million. However, 2.93 million unemployed Filipinos is still a big number and the fact remains that this is one of the major problems that need to be addressed urgently. We have to strengthen efforts in generating more jobs for our growing population,” Legarda said.

To tackle these problems, Legarda has relaunched her LOREN sa bawat barangay program which aims to ensure the improved implementation of the MSME law RA 9501 and the Barangay Livelihood and Skills Training Act (RA 9509).

“It is important that stronger efforts are exerted in strengthening employment creation, facilitation, and enhancement. MSME programs are viable platforms for generating employment opportunities and better incomes to spur economic growth, particularly at the grassroots level. On the other hand, the Barangay Livelihood and Skills Training Act empowers micro-entrepreneurs through free skills training in order to expand their capacities to be more productive,” Legarda said.

“Kaya hinihikayat ko ang ang lokal na pamahalaan ng Cavite na makiisa sa aking pagsusulong na paigtingin ang mga programang pangkabuhayan sa bawat barangay. Kailangan nating mailapit ang mga programa ng pamahalaan sa ating mga mamamayan. Kailangan nating ipaalam sa kanila ang mga programa na maaari nilang mapakinabangan para sa kanilang sariling pag-unlad at ang ating mga LGUs ay may malaking papel na gagampanan dito dahil kayo ang mas nakakaalam ng kanilang pangangailangan” Legarda added.

Additionally, Legarda states that sustainable development and the promotion of eco-friendly occupations must be present in the government’s efforts to improve the country’s employment statistics.

“Cavite has a rich land and rich marine biodiversity, adding to its potential to vastly contribute in sustainable development and in the promotion of green jobs that will help our government sustain the country’s socio-economic gains while promoting climate change adaptation efforts. For instance, renewable energy projects, developing agriculture, forestry, and horticulture, environmental information technology can generate jobs and provide livelihood opportunities to poor communities while making good use of recyclable waste materials, which would also help solve our waste management problem,” Legarda said.

“Ang higit nating kailangang pagtuunan ng pansin ay ang pagbibigay ng oportunidad at pag-asa sa ating mga nasasakupan na kayang-kaya nilang bumangon at magsimula ulit sa kabila ng mga hamon sa pagdating ng mga sakuna at ng pandemya. We have to consistently look for opportunities for progress to ensure that development is equitable and inclusive. Let us empower our workforce, especially those in the marginalized sector, because I believe that employment and livelihood is what we need to recover and rebuild lives of our people,” Legarda concluded.

Over the past two decades, Legarda has been a champion for better employment facilitation and accessible livelihood opportunities for Filipinos. The Province of Cavite benefitted from the DOLE TUPAD and Government Internship Program (GIP); TESDA programs such as the Barangay Kabuhayan Skills Training Program (BKSTP), Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP), and Special Training for Employment Program (STEP); and DSWD Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), especially LGUs affected by the Taal Volcano eruption, all of which were programs funded through Legarda’s intervention.

During her three-term stay in the Senate, Legarda also assisted in improving healthcare in the province. Recently, she inaugurated the Ospital ng Tagaytay while allocating funds for the provision of equipment for the Bacoor District Hospital in Cavite. Her efforts to develop the country’s provinces also include the construction and repair of roads, the construction of multipurpose buildings in the Cavite State University and other barangays in Carmona and Bacoor, and the construction of villa-type cottages in the Development Academy of the Philippines-Tagaytay.