Labor group questions DOLE's ‘unemployment’ definition

The widespread contractualization and flexible work schemes have resulted in conflicting unemployment numbers from the Labor department and the survey firm Social Weather Stations, labor group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) said Wednesday.

The Department of Labor (DOLE) earlier pegged the unemployment rate in the country at 5.4 percent or 2.3 million Filipinos based on Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data. The Social Weather Stations , meanwhile,  showed that 22 percent or 9.8 million Filipinos are unemployed.

“The stark difference between public perception and the official unemployment statistics shows that the unemployed and underemployed millions and our government statisticians have different definitions of unemployment," BMP chairman Leody de Guzman said.

According to De Guzman, the PSA and the DOLE, included among the ranks of the employed those who are working in the informal sector.  The government bodies also do not count as unemployed those who are out-of-work but are not looking for work.

The labor leader said the SWS data was more reflective of the situation on the ground.

“The SWS survey reflects the problem of underemployment. To the workers and the poor, and rightly so, those who are making ends meet through odd and irregular side-jobs, including informal street vendors and street food peddlers, are not truly employed," he said.

"But they are regarded as employed by the PSA and DOLE, partly because these agencies want to turn a blind eye on government’s incapacity to provide full employment to the Filipino people,” De Guzman added.

De Guzman said workers are still confronted by schemes being implemented by some companies for "cheap and docile labor."

“A sizeable chunk of the unemployed are not looking for work not because they are lazy and useless. They would not bother themselves with the costly expenses of finding work only to land in lowly-paid contractual work, if ever they are absorbed by the formal economy," he said.

He said it was time Congress pass the Security of Tenure bill, which would prohibit hiring employees on fixed-term contracts or definite periods, except in cases of overseas Filipino workers, workers on probation, relievers who are temporary replacements of absent regular employees whose engagement will not exceed six months, project-based employees, and seasonal workers.

The Security of Tenure bill has been approved at the House of Representatives in January, but has been gathering dust at the Senate. 

President Duterte has certified the bill as urgent. — LDF, GMA News