In any place in this world, unemployment is one of the issues we always see, and it's getting worse day by day, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic started. When the pandemic hits, billions of people are affected by it, and some lose their jobs, and some just can't start their own businesses because of not having enough money. Many people are struggling with how they will survive every single day of their lives—on what they will eat and how they will pay their bills—especially those people who are in the lower classes. This issue is not new to everyone, and especially to the citizens of Pulong Buhangin who are currently experiencing this problem. According to Ms. Tagatac, one of my respondents, "I am honestly not surprised anymore especially that unemployment has been and is still an issue not only here in our community, but all over the country. Furthermore, I believe this has become more a problem during the height of the pandemic. It's just really saddening." This proves that there are people that are still aware of this issue inside or outside of the barangay of Pulong Buhangin. According to PhilAtlas, the total population of Santa Maria, Bulacan in 2020 was around 289,820, with barangay Pulong Buhangin having the highest population of 41,218. And not all of these citizens are employed, currently handling their business, and have the privilege of working.
Based on the information that I gathered, eight (8) out of my twelve (12) respondents say that some of their family members, friends, or even themselves, have experienced losing their job before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some people say that the reason people are unemployed is that they are "choosy" in their jobs, but some people say that people are unemployed because of discrimination. According to Ms. De Silva, "Nakaka-frustrate at stress. Iniisip mo na kailangan mo ng trabaho pero dahil sa discriminations sa paligid, company rules na hindi makatarungan at co-workers mo na walang ibang ginawa kundi makipag-kumpetensya at manira, mag ccome-up ka talaga na mag-resign nalang." This proves that even the workplace and the workers themselves have an impact on why people choose to resign and become unemployed. In some cases, not having enough work experience is one of the common reasons why some people, especially fresh graduates, get rejected from the companies they are applying for. And aside from that, high qualifications and standards are still an issue, and it is not new to the citizens of the Philippines. That's why many citizens from the Philippines or even in Barangay Pulong Buhangin choose to sacrifice themselves to work abroad. Based on my respondent, Ms. Garcia, the cause of unemployment in Pulong Buhangin or in other places is "Poor and unprepared handling of the government." Other people say that "Kulang ka lang sa diskarte kaya wala kang trabaho" but sometimes the problem is the government who doesn't take action on how they will help those people, especially those who are in the lower class. The government is also responsible for helping the country to become better, but sadly, it gets worse and the number of people who are unemployed increases. But despite this, the local officials of Pulong Buhangin have a suggestion to reduce the number of unemployed citizens in Pulong Buhangin. According to Ms. de Silva, SK Kagawad, "What I would do to contribute to this issue is to encourage people to start a small business in order for them to earn or make an extra income. I would also suggest the implementation of job fair programs in our Barangay or Municipality, so people will be able to explore and venture on opportunities." This would be a great help, especially to those people who are willing to start their own businesses for them to earn money, even in small ways. And also based on Mr. Bernardo, a SK Kagawad too, he said that "I would invest more in programs for intensive career assessment to those graduating students, and offer scholarships to those skills- related jobs(electricians, operators, bartenders, etc.) so that there could be a wide range of opportunities for those young minds who are more than willing to learn and earn in the future." These plans will surely help the citizens of Pulong Buhangin to survive their day and the next day of their lives. The issue of unemployment is a serious problem, especially in the Philippines, and it will never end until there is discrimination, too high-qualifications, and poor and unprepared handling of the government. Yes, the citizens will be responsible for themselves, but they will also need help from the government.
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