$400-M LOAN NG ADB SA PINAS PARA PALAKASIN ANG YOUTH EMPLOYMENT

HANGAD ng Asian Development Bank (ADB) na palakasin ang employment ng  out-of-school at unem-ployed young Filipinos sa pamamagitan ng $400-million loan na ipinagkaloob nito sa pamahalaan ng Filipinas.

Ayon sa ADB, susuportahan ng kanilang Facilitating Youth School-to-Work Transition Program, subpro-gram 2, ang policy reforms at government initiatives na naglalayong mapaghusay ang employability ng mga kabataan.

Ang programa ay bubuo sa youth employment facilitation program ng Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) na tinatawag na ‘Jobstart Philippines’.

“Many young Filipinos today are anxious about their career prospects in a very competitive labor market. This program will enhance public employment services to help them transition from school to work,” pahayag ni ADB Southeast Asia Regional Department Director Jose Antonio Tan III.

Sa pagitan ng November 2016 at March 2019, ang Jobstart program ay nagbigay benepisyo sa may 17,537 out-of-school youth, karamihan ay nagmula sa low-income households.

May 393,500 pang kabataan ang pinagkalooban din ng paid, short-term jobs noong school breaks sa pamamagitan ng improvements sa Special Program for the Employment of Students ng gobyerno.

Ang Manila-based ADB ay maglulunsad ng isang technical assistance program sa 2020 na magpapakilala sa funding schemes sa mga employer upang tulungan silang magpatupad ng skills upgrade initiatives sa kanilang mga negosyo.

“This new ADB loan seeks to address the skills mismatch between young job seekers and the competencies demanded by employers,” ani ADB Southeast Asia Senior Economist for Public Finance Cristina Lozano.  PILIPINO Mirror Reportorial Team