Palace on SWS survey: ‘Government programs would create more jobs’

Malacañang is optimistic that the massive infrastructure programs of the government would create more jobs for Filipinos, despite a recent survey showing that joblessness in the country soared in the first quarter of 2018.

A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, conducted from March 23 to 27, revealed that the joblessness rate among Filipinos jumped to 23.9 percent (or an estimated 10.9 million adults) in the first three months of the 2018.

The result was 8.2 percent higher than the 15.7 percent or an estimated 7.2 million adults in December 2017.

READ: SWS: 10.9 million jobless, job optimism down

SWS define adult joblessness as those who voluntarily left their old jobs, those who lost their jobs due to economic circumstances beyond their control, termed retrenched, and those seeking jobs for the first time.

“The present survey was conducted March 23-27, at a time when many students just finished their last semester in college and are expected to look for jobs; thus, an increase in adult joblessness,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

He added, “December by tradition is a month where there are many seasonal jobs available because of the Christmas season.”

“We remain optimistic that with the implementation of our Build-Build-Build Infrastructure Plan, we would be able to generate more job opportunities to many of our countrymen,” he said. /ee