The Federation of Free Workers (FFW) is expecting a notable increase in the demand for construction workers as the Duterte administration embarks on its “Build, Build, Build” (BBB) infrastructure program.
FFW Vice President Julius H. Cainglet said that despite the increase to 94.9 percent of the employment rate of the country in April this year, the expected increase in the number of jobs generated through the BBB has not been fully realized, adding that one factor is the number of Chinese workers in the country.
“The expected increase in employment in construction as a result of the BBB has not been fully realized despite the slight increase [reported in the LFS (Labor Force Survey) for April]. This is reflective of the problems arising from the influx of Chinese workers who take on local jobs without the mandatory Labor Market Test,” Cainglet said.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Wednesday that the country’s employment rate for April this year reached 94.9 percent coming from the 94.5 percent in the same month for 2018.
During a news briefing on the same day, National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa reported that there was a decline in the number of Filipinos looking for jobs and better employment opportunities, with a 74,000 decrease in the number of unemployed and 1.226 million in the number of the underemployed Filipinos.
Cainglet said that the employment figures in the country would yield better results if the government stops corrupt officials from conniving with Chinese employers to facilitate the entry of Chinese workers in the Philippines.
“Chinese officials, Chinese employers, and corrupt government officials have certainly connived to facilitate the entry of Chinese workers,” he added.
He pointed out that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Bureau of Immigration (BI) must strictly implement the country’s laws and regulations in line with the foreign nationals working in the country.
“The Labor Market Test should be implemented and Filipino workers should always be afforded the right of first refusal when it comes to available jobs. Work offers for foreign nationals, and not just Chinese nationals, should be only opened if it can be proven that the skills and competencies required of a job is not available locally,” he said.
Cainglet also said that the apart from the lackluster employment under the construction sector, jobs in the agriculture sector is also seen to decrease as an effect of the implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law.
“We see agriculture losing more workers as the effects of the Rice Tariffication Law impacting farmers and agricultural workers. Manufacturing continues to underperform,” he added.
Based on the April LFS, workers in the services sector comprised the largest proportion of the employed population comprising 58.5 percent of the total employed in April 2019, workers in the agriculture sector comprised the second largest group making up 22.3 percent, and workers in the industry sector made up the smallest group registering 19.2 percent of the total employed.
In March this year, the Department of Finance (DOF) dispelled claims that a large number of Chinese nationals are working on government infrastructure projects, pointing out that there are only 173 highly technical Chinese workers in the country who are working on government infrastructure projects.
Image credits: Nonoy Lacza