Senator Villanueva urges stronger support for agriculture after PH jobless rate rose in May

Senate labor committee chair Sen. Joel Villanueva on Saturday called for stronger government support for the agriculture sector after the country's unemployment rate climbed to 4.8 percent in May, warning that continued reliance on food imports could further erode jobs and livelihoods.

Citing the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Villanueva said the number of unemployed Filipinos rose to 2.50 million in May, up from 2.41 million in April and 2.03 million in the same month last year.

The senator said the figures should "not be taken lightly," particularly because agriculture and forestry posted the largest year-on-year employment decline among all sectors monitored by the PSA, losing about 905,000 jobs.

Villanueva also noted that the Philippines imported 2.75 million metric tons of rice during the first half of the year, while local palay production is projected to miss its 20.28-million-metric-ton target.

While acknowledging the need for government intervention to stabilize food prices, he warned against making importation the country's default response.

"If importation remains the default response instead of strengthening domestic agricultural and fisheries production, we will continue to lose jobs in a sector that should be generating sustainable livelihoods for millions of Filipinos," Villanueva said.

The senator said the situation underscores the need to fully implement the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act or Republic Act No. 11962, which he principally authored and sponsored in the Senate.

According to Villanueva, the law provides a 10-year roadmap for creating quality jobs while supporting Filipino workers, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), farmers and fisherfolk.

"The legal framework is already in place, and the roadmap has been established. What is needed now is its effective and sustained implementation," he said.

Villanueva also called on the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), which chairs the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Inter-Agency Council, to ensure the Department of Agriculture actively participates in the council's meetings.

He said agricultural production and employment should be addressed in a coordinated manner rather than as separate policy concerns.

"Ultimately, we must view this challenge not only as a matter of managing prices, but also as one of protecting jobs, strengthening livelihoods, food security and ensuring long-term economic resilience," he said.

-Paraluman News