After Roque remark, senator says 45.4% joblessness rate should alarm gov't | Inquirer News

After Roque remark, senator says 45.4% joblessness rate should alarm gov’t

/ 10:11 AM August 18, 2020
Sherwin Gatchalian —SENATE FILE PHOTO

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian. SENATE FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday said the nearly 50-percent adult joblessness rate in the country should sound the alarm for the government to ensure that assistance is provided to families affected by the loss of jobs amid the pandemic.

A recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that 27.3 million Filipino workers, representing a record-high 45.4 percent of the labor force, were jobless in July 2020.

ADVERTISEMENT

Responding to the survey, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said he was “glad” that adult joblessness did not reach 100 percent considering the lockdowns imposed in different parts of the country in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Sought to comment on Roque’s remarks, Gatchalian respected the opinion of the Palace official but stressed that the 45.4-percent adult joblessness rate should serve as a “very loud message” to the government.

FEATURED STORIES

“That’s the opinion of the spokesperson but in my opinion, this is not only an alarm bell but a very loud message that we need to do more to make sure that our constituents will have food on the table,” the senator said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel.

“Let’s go back to the basics, my advice and my advocacy is just go back to the basics, let’s make sure that there’s food on the table,” he added.

He said those who became unemployed at the height of the pandemic are “most likely in the lower income bracket of our society.”

“We have to make sure that they have food on the table for their families. In one or two months time, they will already exhaust their savings and if you don’t have food on the table, that’s criminal for all of us,” Gatchalian said.

“So we have to make sure that the government will continue to distribute subsidies and [cash aid under the] social amelioration program,” he added.

JPV
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

For more news about the novel coronavirus click here.
What you need to know about Coronavirus.
For more information on COVID-19, call the DOH Hotline: (02) 86517800 local 1149/1150.

The Inquirer Foundation supports our healthcare frontliners and is still accepting cash donations to be deposited at Banco de Oro (BDO) current account #007960018860 or donate through PayMaya using this link.

Read Next
Don't miss out on the latest news and information.

Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.

TAGS: coronavirus Philippines, COVID-19, Nation, News
For feedback, complaints, or inquiries, contact us.
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.



© Copyright 1997-2023 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. To find out more, please click this link.