A lawmaker urges the government to address the growing number of unemployed Filipino youth, which is currently estimated at 1.32 million.

 

According to the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA) and National Statistics Office (NSO), the current national rate of unemployed Filipinos is at 6.6% or at 2.7 million as of January 2015, up from 6.0% as reported in October 2014.

 

From the 6.6%, 49.1 percent of the unemployed Filipinos belong to the age bracket of 15 to 24 years old or 1.32 million.

 

“Nakakaalarma na mas maraming kabataan ngayon ang walang trabaho,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth.

 

To help address this problem, Sen. Bam has filed Senate Resolution No. 1268 seeking to encourage concerned government agencies to create employment opportunities for the youth.

 

“1.32 milyong kabataan ang hindi nakakatulong sa kanilang mga pamilya at sa ating bansa,” added Sen. Bam.

 

Also, the resolution also urges government agencies to formulate programs to address the needs of young Filipinos, including the unemployed youth, workers in vulnerable employment and young entrepreneurs.

 

Sen. Bam sees the need for relevant government agencies such as the Department of Labor, Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and the National Economic Development Authority to collaborate and coordinate more to address the problem.

 

“In order to strategically and significantly promote job generation for young Filipinos and propose interventions on economic policies, there should be a coordinated policy framework to address the challenges of youth unemployment,” said Sen. Bam.

 

Sen. Bam encouraged the government to prioritize programs that will enhance labor market information, skills training and upgrading, online job matching and entrepreneurial skills.

 

“Through the years, there has been a mismatch between the available jobs and available skills in the labor force, which is considered as one of the main reasons for youth unemployment,” said Sen. Bam.

 

“Kailangang mabigyan ng pagkakataong magkatrabaho o magkanegosyo, at lumago ang ating kabataan sa nararanasang pag-unlad ng ating bansa,” Sen. Bam emphasized.