While Philippine economic growth is forecast to reach 6 percent this year, the government should focus on providing employment to the youth, according to senatorial candidate Martin Romualdez.
Romualdez issued the statement in the wake of the latest report of the Asian Development Bank showing that youth unemployment remains high and is therefore a key development challenge for the Philippine government.
The Manila-based multilateral lending institution noted while youth unemployment declined to 14.4 percent, this is still more than double the national unemployment rate.
“We should strive to create more jobs and livelihood opportunities for the youth so that they can directly contribute to nation-building,” the Leyte lawmaker said.
Romualdez said he found worrisome the ADB finding that one in four young people are neither working nor pursuing education or training.
“It is true that our young population provides a window of opportunity to raise potential economic growth. But as has been pointed out, we can take realize the demographic dividend only if the majority of our youth are in education, training or productive employment,” Romualdez said.
“Bringing the youth to take an active part in the government’s development agenda is crucial if we hope to reduce poverty in the coming years,” he added.
Romualdez, a three-term congressman in the 1st District of Leyte, is seeking a Senate seat on a platform of compassionate governance with job creation, health, education and disaster resilience among his legislative priorities.
