(Para mabilis na makabangon ang ekonomiya) UNEMPLOYMENT SOLUSYUNAN

NANAWAGAN si Senadora Grace Poe sa mga opisyal ng gobyerno na solusyunan ang problema ng unemployment para mabilis na makabangon ang ekonomiya sa halip na hikayatin ang mga batang lumabas sa kanilang mga tahanan.

“They’ve been telling people to go out and spend to prop up the economy. But before they can spend, they need to have the money to do so. Allowing kids to go out doesn’t address that problem,” pahayag ni Poe, isa ring child advocate.

Bumaba ng 9.5 porsiyento ang ekonomiya ng Filipinas noong nakaraang taon, pinakamababa simula noong 1946. Dumanas din  ng paghina ang produksiyon, agrikultura, industry at services. Sa panig naman ng expenditure, tanging government spending ang tumaas samantalang ang consumer spending, investment, exports at imports ay bumagsak.

“Economists and businessmen have been calling for a stronger fiscal stimulus since last year to prevent the closure of companies and prevent the loss of jobs. If we are to heal as one, we need to listen to all stakeholders. Wage subsidies would have put money in people’s pockets so they can spend,” sabi ni Poe.

Ang Filipinas ang may pinakamahabang quarantine restriction sa buong mundo. Ang special amelioration o mas kilala sa tawag na ‘ayuda’ ay ipinamahagi sa panahon na ipinatupad ang istriktong lockdown o dalawang buwan ng enhanced community quarantine.

Sampung buwan matapos ipatupad ang quarantine, sinabi ng National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) na kanilang tututukan ang employment situation kada buwan.

“Why are we acknowledging the issue only now when businesses have been very vocal about the problem since last year? Sa dinami-dami na ng kanilang inambag, hindi man lang makuhang pakinggan at isama ang kanilang mungkahi sa solusyon? The Philippines is a democracy and constructive discourse should be its strength,” sabi pa ni Poe.

Ayon sa senadora, ang consumer spending o paggastos ng tao ay isa lang variable o pagbabago sa expenditure side ng gross domestic product equation kung saan kasama ang investments, exports, imports, at government spending.

“If economic planners are looking at consumer spending as the key to economic recovery, what they need to address is how people will have money to spend. I am no economist but they seem to be hyperfocusing on boosting consumer spending as if it was a just a simple solution,” ani Poe.  VICKY CERVALES