THE INFLATION decrease and low unemployment rate won’t necessarily mean reduced prices of goods and more jobs, labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Kahit anong pinapoging datos ang ilabas ng gobyerno, hindi nito mapapabulaanan ang gutom at kahirapang danas ng mga manggagawa sa araw-araw (Whatever sanitized data the government releases, it won’t deny the hunger and poverty experienced by workers),” the group said, adding that Filipinos need are affordable goods and decent jobs.
The statement came on the heels of the Philippine Statistics Authority data showing the inflation rate being down to 1.9% in September from 3.3 % in August, and the unemployment rate from 4.7% to 4%.
KMU stressed the data is “only making a fool out of the Filipino workers” and does not necessarily reflect their living conditions.
“Ang pagbagal ng inflation ay hindi katumbas ng pagbaba ng presyo ng mga bilihin. Mas mabagal lang ang pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin, pero tumataas pa rin ito (The inflation slowdown don’t equate to low prices of commodities. The increase might slow down, but it’s still increasing)” it said, citing the price of fuel which have been increasing for two weeks straight.
The group added that the minimum wage cannot meet the prices of basic needs and commodities. This affects informal or self-employed workers such as the small-scale store owners.
On the reduced unemployment rate, the group said it should be considered that the Department of Labor and Employment has defined workers who work at least an hour per week as “employed.”
It added the jobs generated by the government should be scrutinized, whether it be seasonal and freelance that has no assurance of tenure and benefits or contractual employment that the stay depends on the employers.
“Ang tunay na kailangan ng mga manggagawa ay abot-kayang bilihin at regular na trabaho. Dapat kontrolin ang pagkaganid ng mga negosyante at mga pulitiko, at buwisan ang mga mayayaman tungo sa pagbibigay ng pampublikong serbisyo sa mga mamamayan,” it said.
The group called for national industrialization and land reforms to create more decent jobs and end hunger of the common Filipinos.
