1 million Pinoys give up job hunt

MANILA, Philippines – Believing they will never find employment, at least a million jobless Filipinos have quit looking for work.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said these unemployed but capable workers are now classified as “discouraged workers” after the country adopted a new definition of unemployment to conform to international labor standards.

“Our new government is now looking at ways to address the needs of this group,” Baldoz said.

Discouraged workers are defined as jobless people available for work, but are not actively seeking employment.

Baldoz said the number of unemployed went down dramatically since the adoption of the new definition in 2005.

She said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is also working on various programs to solve the prevailing skills mismatch among workers.

Baldoz said jobseekers have difficulty finding jobs because they possess skills that are not needed by companies.

“At this time, it take months or almost a year for employers to find the right workers to fill in vacancies in their companies and the situation could even get worse unless the mismatch problem is properly addressed,” said Criselda Sy, director of DOLE’s Bureau of Local Employment (BLE).

She said DOLE is now coordinating with the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education and other concerned agencies to find a solution to the problem. –Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star)