Thousands of Filipino workers still face an uncertain future a hundred years after those who came before them have fought for and secured better wages, benefits and working conditions. Millions of Filipino workers still do not enjoy good wages, have little to no benefits (such as hazard pay), and will have to endure hardship until their last breath because they are not entitled to any pension benefits. With food production becoming more and more challenging due to climate change, farm workers are left with no other recourse but to seek greener pastures anywhere. Most of those looking for better opportunities have no choice but leave the agriculture sector.
Agricultural workers, such as the sacadas in sugar farms, are leaving the sector in droves and no one can blame them. These workers have either migrated to urban areas, where they joined the ranks of informal settlers, joined the services sector or became construction workers under the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program. Compared to waiting for months for contract work in farms, getting a daily wage is a better alternative for them than enduring backbreaking work for little pay.
Others, however, are not so lucky because of their lack of education. Even household helpers in the Philippines are expected to have at least reached high school. Construction workers are also required to have a high-school diploma. Some companies require aspirants for menial jobs to have at least finished their sophomore year in college. Computer literacy is a must for those who are seeking office-based work.
The proposed creation of a pension for farmers, fishermen and farm workers would be a good development if approved by Congress (See, “Congress urged to pass bill creating pension fund for farmers, fishermen,” in the BusinessMirror, April 26, 2019). But the government should not stop at creating the pension fund for these workers. They must also have access to the services of the Social Security System and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. Bona fide agricultural workers who want to put up small businesses such as sari-sari stores or food carts should also be able to tap micro loans. To supplement their income, rural workers must be given priority in government projects such as the rehabilitation of irrigation canals, among others.
The government must seriously consider these measures if it wants to reduce the poverty rate in rural areas where most of the poor reside. The latest available data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) indicate that the government has a long way to go in making a dent in its poverty-reduction efforts in the rural areas. In a survey it conducted in 2015, the PSA said farmers and fishermen consistently posted the highest poverty incidence among the sectors it monitored. Poverty incidence among farmers and fishermen was higher than the national rate, at 34.3 percent and 34 percent, respectively.
It is not difficult to see that a serious effort to cut poverty rate would require more focus on farmers, fishermen and other agricultural workers. There is no legacy that the President and his men can leave behind better than a successful effort to uplift the lives of the people who produce food for millions of Filipino families. It’s about time our poor farmers, fishermen and other disadvantaged workers get rewarded for their labor. It’s about time we recognize that small farmers and fishermen can have a big impact on the country’s food security.