Malacanang’s blaming of unemployment rise to influx of new grads idiotic and irresponsible – KMU

Kilusang Mayo Uno slammed recent Malacanang pronouncement blaming the increase in unemployment to the addition of 2.9 million new graduates. 

“It is idiotic and irresponsible for the Arroyo administration to blame rising unemployment to the influx of newly grads,” said KMU Spokesperson Prestoline Suyat. 

“It is government responsibility in the first place to see to it that our youth finish their education up to college. College graduates even comprise only 10% of those who were able to enter elementary school. How dare Arroyo treat them now as a burden.” 

The National Statistics Office reported recently that unemployment rate rose to 8% in April this year from 7.4 percent in April 2007.

The pronouncement is one of the first statements to come from newly appointed press secretary Jesus Dureza.

“The new press sectary has done a good job. He has just ruined further the Presidents’ image,” Suyat added. 

Suyat also said that “unemployment rose even with the government-twisted categorization of employment.” 

He said government does not abide to International Labor Organization’s definition that those who are available but not looking for work are considered as unemployed. The government reported only 2.6 million unemployed for the past year, but IBON foundation estimates the figure to be really at 4 million.  

“Arroyo failed to meet its promise of creating one and a half million jobs a year, forcing it to redefine the meaning of unemployment, and to cite ridiculous reasons for the cause of such.” 

Only an estimated 168,000 jobs were generated from April 2007 to April this year.###