PHL must address social issues to gain from Asean single market – US envoy

The Philippines needs to address social inequity and rising youth unemployment to take advantage of the economic growth that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations single market is expected to bring by 2015.

According to US Ambassador to the Asean David Carden, the Philippines should address problems on access to education, governance and corruption, and environmental issues.

“Social inequity is a very serious concern,” said Carden, who was in Manila this week. He said Asean economies “run the risk of their economy not growing (if these issues are not addressed).”

Poverty incidence in the Philippines has not decreased in the last six years according to the National Statistical Coordination Board. Poverty is estimated 27.9 percent in 2012 compared with the 2006 and 2009 first semester figures at 28.8 percent and 28.6 percent.

Carden added the Philippines has to increase access to higher education to provide a reliable workforce for the growing economy.

Around 500,000 graduate from college each year, but the Commission on Higher Education said only 20 percent of graduates find jobs. Uneployment is currently pegged at 7.3 percent.

Of those who do have jobs, around 15 million are considered vulnerable because they have no employment benefits, have no fixed income, and are not earning enough to get out of poverty.

Carden said the Asean single market, which will include the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei, should be about more than just “removing trade barriers and non-trade barriers.”

He said it should come with empowerment for citizens of Asean nations as well as environmental sustainability.

He said “there are underlying issues that need to be addressed and economies are (committing) serious mistakes to overlook these issues.”

Carden, who met with Foreign Affairs undersecretary Evans Garcia while in Manila, was in the Philippines from December 3-4. — JDS, GMA News