JOANNA B.

DANDASAN If I were to advise the President of the

Philippines on how to cope with the
issues on poverty and unemployment
I will address the following: There
should be a focus on creating better
and more productive jobs,
If you were to advise Particularly those that can absorb the
the President of the high concentrations of working poor.
Among the necessary elements for
Philippines on how to creating such jobs are investing in
labor-intensive industries, especially
cope with the issues agriculture, Encouraging a shift in
the structure of employment to
on poverty and higher productivity occupations and
unemployment to sectors, and upgrading job quality in
the informal economy. In addition,
improve the lives of there should also be a focus on
providing poor people with the
the Filipino people, necessary skills and assets that will
what would you tell enable them to take full advantage of
any expansion in employment
him and why? potential. One of the most effective
ways to combat poverty among
current and future generations is to
maintain a full employment economy.
The point should be straightforward:
when the labor market is strong, or
“tight,” it offers increased
employment opportunities for those
at the bottom.
SUSAN L. TAYLOR,
JOURNALIST