The Department of Public Works and Highways said it expects to generate more than 1.5 million jobs this year despite the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 on the economy.
Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said the continuous yearly increase in infrastructure budget had led to the massive employment generation across the country.
“This year, although we have slowed down a little bit due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an estimated 1,525,342 of jobs will be generated from the 2020 budget,” said Villar.
The agency’s statement came after the Philippine Statistical Authority reported an unemployment rate of 17.7 percent, representing 7.3 million jobless Filipinos in April.
The PSA said this was a record high in unemployment rate, reflecting the effects of the economic shutdown on the Philippine labor market.
