[SWS survey shows] Aquino gov’t lying about unemployment – KMU

Citing the Social Weather Stations employment survey released last Monday, labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno condemned the Aquino government today for lying about widespread unemployment in the country.

The survey, which covered the first quarter of the year and revealed that 34.4 per cent of Filipinos aged 18 years old and above were unemployed, belies the government’s Labor Force Survey conducted last January, which places the unemployment rate at a mere 7.2 per cent.

“The discrepancy is so huge, it’s obvious that the Aquino government is lying. The government is trying to cover up the fact that unemployment in the country is at a record high,” said Elmer “Bong” Labog, KMU chairperson.

“The employment picture could actually be bleaker than what the SWS survey says. The SWS used the government’s definition of ‘unemployed,’ which excludes those who are jobless but are not looking for work, having been demoralized by the lack of decent jobs,” he added.

“The government wants to make it appear that it is on the right track on the important issue of job creation. Data from the SWS and the government’s effort to conceal the truth show that it is on the wrong track,” he said.

Attracting foreign investors

The labor center also condemned the government for sticking to the policy framework of “attracting foreign investors” to supposedly generate employment in the country despite the severe global financial and economic crisis.

“The policy framework of attracting foreign investors failed to create a sufficient number of jobs in the country even when the crisis was not as severe as it is today. It won’t generate sufficient jobs in the country especially amidst the severe crisis,” Labog said.

“The country can generate sufficient employment by implementing genuine land reform and national industrialization. If the government chooses to carry out these policies, we won’t be needing to beg foreign investors to go into the country anymore,” he said.

“These policies, however, are farthest from the mind of the Aquino government, as implementing these would mean upsetting big capitalists and landlords – Aquino’s real ‘bosses’,” he added.