Unemployment in the country can be better addressed if the government and the private sector become more aggressive in their collaborations to provide more jobs.
This is the belief of Quezon City First District Rep. Juan Carlos “Arjo” Atayde, who said it is a challenge for him and his fellow lawmakers to push the government to aggressively work with the private sector in resolving joblessness.
Atayde made the statement on the sidelines of a job fair on Monday during Independence Day at SM North Edsa Quezon City, where thousands of work opportunities were made available by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
The lawmaker praised the aggressive approach by the DOLE with the assistance of the private sector in helping address unemployment problems not only across the country, but also to his own city’s first district composed of 37 barangays.
“Based on our recent study in the first district of Quezon City after the first half of 2023, we see that almost 75 percent of our people are facing the challenge of increasing prices of basic goods, commodities and other products throughout the years,” Atayde said during his speech.
“While 40 percent is coming from the lack of employment and lack of income. So it’s a challenge for all of us lawmakers to collaborate with the private sectors how to resolve the unemployment,” Atayde added. “We are very thankful to the private sectors and DOLE for stepping up to offer jobs.”
Although the unemployment rate in the National Capital Region (NCR) has dropped to 5.3 percent in April 2023, which is lower than the 5.7 percent reported in January this year and 7.5 percent in April 2022, Atayde believes the government would not stop finding more solutions to end joblessness.
“We, congressmen, are not just here to come up with a bill but we also take time to study carefully all the details, especially about this problem of unemployment and help every job seeker in every part of our country to get a job,” the 32-year-old/ actor explained.
“We are taking this matter seriously in Congress. Everybody’s hoping including myself that by next few months or by next year, the percentage of lack of employment and income will soon be declined or gone slowly.”
That’s why Atayde has also expressed gratitude to the private sectors, hiring companies and agencies for being a part of this campaign and being a good partner with the government to help the people liberate from poverty by having a job.
“We are very thankful to all the private sectors that participated in this endeavor. You are a huge inspiration to us in the government and a big help to the community.”
The private sector, the DOLE and the local government units successfully launched also the job fairs in various places such as municipalities, shopping malls and universities, among other venues, to offer job opportunities to the public.