Senator Joel Villanueva said he is pushing for the creation of more jobs under the National Employment Recovery Strategy in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Villanueva joined Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson at the Capitol grounds in Bacolod City for the distribution of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations totaling P1 million on Thursday, October 21.
There were 334 beneficiaries from Candoni, Isabela and Toboso who received P3, 000 each.
Villanueva said he was in the province for consultations to determine the needs of the people.
The senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Labor, said his priority is to ensure the creation of more jobs, pointing out that 8.1 percent of the population or 3.88 million Filipinos are now unemployed.
Underemployment has also hit an all-time high, he added.
Some Overseas Filipino Workers cannot go back to their jobs abroad because they are not competent for new jobs in the new normal.
In creating jobs training is important, he said, pointing out that digital careers are now booming.
The senator said it is important under the National Employment Recovery Strategy that a score card is kept on how many new jobs are created and in what fields to ensure that the program is successful.
Villanueva said he is humbled that almost all of the presidential candidates have adopted him to be part of their senatorial slates.
“Despite their differences in political backgrounds, political positioning, they have a common denominator…they put so much importance in job creation and the challenges that we will be facing in the post pandemic era,” Villanueva said.*