MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte’s flagship infrastructure program “Build, Build, Build” which is also expected to create jobs for Filipinos is not an effective job-creating program, an economic research think tank said Sunday.

Ibon Foundation Executive Director Rosario Guzman said the annual job-creation rate under the Duterte administration is the lowest over the last six administrations.

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“Kung Build, Build, Build ang pagbabatayan, kahit full-blast ang ating programa sa infrastructure, hindi natin tinitingnan na mahusay na job-creating activity ‘yun kasi ang construction job ay napaka-seasonal,” Guzman said in an interview over AM radio station DZBB.

“Pagkatayo ng building o pagkatapos ng kalsada at iba pang airport, ay tapos na ang trabaho. Hindi siya long-lasting at meaningful,” Guzman added.

Despite the high employment rate in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, Guzman said the sector is service-oriented and provides service for those abroad.

“Ang BPO karamihan dyan ay call centers, ito ay service job. Even that, ‘di po ‘yan lilikha ng bagong product, hindi katulad ng manufacturing na pagkatapos magtrabaho ng manggagawa ay may bagong product siyang nagawa… at sa ibang bansa ang serbisyo niyan, ‘di para sa atin,” Guzman said.

Asked why the job-creation rate is low under the Duterte administration, Guzman said the there is a huge decline of jobs in the agriculture sector.

Guzman said 1.1 million jobs were lost in the agriculture sector.

Meanwhile, there was also a slowdown in job-creation rate in the manufacturing industry.

Guzman said at least 2,000 enterprises close annually in the country due to competition. She added that they are now checking the issue with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Guzman also slammed the government’s K to 12 program, saying that the first batch of the graduates of the program are currently unemployed.

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“Ito na ba yung sinasabi ng DOLE at DepEd na mismatch? If gusto niyong mag-match iyong edukasyon at ‘yung trabaho, dapat mayroon talagang malinaw na job at development and economic plan ang gobyerno,” Guzman said, explaining that the biggest unemployment rate in the country is in the 18-27 age group.

In March, Ibon Foundation also slammed the priority given to Chinese workers over local workers in the infrastructure industry.

INQUIRER.net has reached out to the DOLE for a comment but they have yet to respond regarding the issue. /je

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