Jul 05
Filipino youths are almost twice to be unemployed than adults, an International Labor Organization (ILO) official said during a National Youth Conference/Workshop for Decent Work under Global Crisis organized by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) held recently in Tagaytay City.
ILO Employment and Migration Project Coordinator Roche Angon said that in the 2008 NSO Labor Force survey, Filipino young people aged 24 years old and below across the nation hit bloc nearly 50% unemployed.
“In 2008, about 6.58 million youth are employed compared with 27.5 million adult workers. Consequently, 1.4 million youth are unemployed or 17.4% as compared to 4.6% or 1.33 million adult unemployed,” said Angon.
She also said that youth unemployment across the region has risen as inadequate training and the widespread use of short-term jobs make young workers one of the main victims of the economic meltdown.
Meantime, Toshiyuki Wakatsuki, Youth & Education Senior Officer of the International Trade Union Confederation in Asia Pacific (ITUC-AP) described youth unemployment rate as “very critical.”
Wakatsuki attributed the high youth unemployment rate on the fact that young people in their own respective countries are primarily employed on short-term contracts that require company to pay lesser benefits and these have been the first to be eliminated in the recession.
Wakatsuki then called for an urgent support for the youth that include opportunities for employment and job creation, education, training/re-training and job exchange, working and social lives of the youth and trade union participation.
Jun 19
Bahay ni Sto. Tomas (Bahay ng Pag-ibig), a haven for unwanted pregnancies, is now open to serve women after its blessing and inauguration last Saturday (March 13) located at Km. 7 Felbet’s building compound, Davao City.
Archbishop of Davao, Most Reverend Fernando R. Capalla,DD led the blessing together with the officials of the Peoples’ Hope Foundation Inc., Dra. Eleanor de Borja Palabyab, the Carmelite sisters and other congregation in Davao.
Bahay ni Sto. Tomas is a special project of the Peoples’ Hope Foundation aimed at providing a safe and loving shelter for women who are unprepared for motherhood.
A group of concerned Davao doctors and citizens has come up with a decision to establish this project specifically to help those women experiencing unexpected pregnancies, women unprepared for motherhood and serve as a temporary shelter for abandoned babies.
The Peoples’ Hope Foundation envisions that “every life should be protected and respected from its beginnings at the moment of its conception.” The shelter will serve as a humane alternative to abortion by providing services to women with unexpected pregnancies.
Jun 16
After viewing the television commercial that underscores the plight of women in the rural community, rural women from various parts of Mindanao want further information dissemination to see greater impact on women empowerment.
This is the result of the recent Palibhasa Babae Bida Ka campaign in time for the celebration of the Women’s month.
The international non-profit group Oxfam and Harrison Communications initiated a commercial campaign that showed the daily struggle of poor women from the rural areas. The television advertisement was given a free one-week airtime over ABS-CBN channel.
The commercial is starred by award-winning television and film actress Cherry Pie Picache who gave her free services just to learn the sacrifices of rural women and at the same time contribute to their upliftment.
Picache said that she personally chose this advocacy being a mother and knowing how women sacrifice a lot for the family, career, and community.
During the launching of the campaign held in Davao City last Saturday (March 13), Picache listened to the personal experiences of women from rural areas in Mindanao.
Noraisa Macaumbao of Pigcawayan, North Cotabato narrated how difficult it is for a single parent like her to bring up three kids.
” Sana’y pahalagahan ako ng aking mga anak sa aking ipinakitang pagod,hirap, at puyat mapalaki lang sila.” (I hope that my children would appreciate all my efforts and sacrifices just to give them a future.), she said.