Though it had been months since the lockdown was lifted, the suffering continues for hundreds of families struggling to provide for their daily lives. With the country imposing one of the longest lockdowns since the pandemic broke out, it led to one of the country’s most staggering economic recessions in decades. Hundreds of small and medium businesses were shut down, thousands were cut from their work, and two years into the pandemic, the numbers are barely going down. Despite the re-opening of establishments and with the lockdown being lifted, the unemployment rate continues to spike.
BY THE NUMBERS
According to the February-10 report of the Philippine Statistic Authority (PSA), the country’s unemployment rate rose to 6.6%, with almost 3.27 Filipinos jobless.
IN FOCUS
Francisco Homes‑Mulawin is a barangay in the city of San Jose del Monte, in the province of Bulacan. Its population as determined by the 2020 Census was 11,226. This represented 1.72% of the total population of San Jose del Monte. (Francisco Homes-Mulawin, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan Profile – PhilAtlas)
JUAN AMIDST THE PANDEMIC
“Sobrang hirap. Wala kaming mapakain sa pamilya namin. HIndi ko lubos maisip na nagawa naming matiis ‘yong oras na yon. Maliit na nga lang kinikita namin sa pamamasada, mauuwi pa sa ganon.”
These are the words of Kuya Robert Jacinto, one of the tricycle drivers here in our barangay that was banned from passenger transport for a string of months when the pandemic broke out last 2020.
The story of Kuya Robert signifies the struggles of hundreds of families trying to survive each day in the midst of the COVID- 19 pandemic.
Two years into the pandemic its effects and the challenges it caused still stings up to this point in time. It was the focal point of Barangay Mulawin Captain, Hon. Herson Paul Hayo’s response in our face-to-face interview that I featured in our previous blog.
“Actually dahil pandemic pa rin nga, ang isa sa pinaka concern namin ngayon is the number of unemployed individuals sa ating barangay. Talagang maraming nawalan.” he uttered.
And as I had the chance also to have a brief interview with Barangay Kagawad Hon. Ernesto D. Aquino last June 05, our discussion also revolved around the looming aspect of livelihood in the barangay.
“Una talaga sa mga naapektuhan kaming tricycle boy, may limit ‘yong pasahero tapos grabe yong taas ng gasolina,” Hon. Aquino said, who also happened to be one of the 470 Francisco Homes Toda tricycle drivers.
Putting it all on the line, the local government established a more potent social media platform and a more strategic game plan to reduce the number at hand. According to him, Mulawin’s Barangay Technical Employment Committee (BTEC) continues to coordinate with the City’s Public Employment Service Office to provide opportunities and jobs that will be beneficial for its citizens.
“Patuloy tayong nakikipag-ugnayan sa PESO para magawa nating maibaba sa mga kabarangay natin na naghahanap po ng trabaho and from there doon nila makikita saan sila pinaka-suit.”
The City of San Jose Del Monte - Public Employment Service Office continually provides job opportunities more specifically employment, training and development services that will propel those locals who are in need of a job post-pandemic.
Concentrix Local Recruitment Activity, June 06 held at the PESO Motorpool, Productivity Complex, City of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan
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