Marcos’ foreign trips to yield 200,000 jobs, says DOLE

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s foreign trips have resulted in investments that will likely yield about 200,000 quality jobs, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

In a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon pre-Sona special, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said the estimate came from the Department of Trade and Industry, the government’s investment arm.

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“Hindi [ito] overnight; may proseso. Pero doon sa mga ‘ika nga’y naging pagbisita ng ating pangulo, mayroong mga commitment na nagsisimula na ang proseso at mayroon na ngang estimate ang atin pong DTI, karamihan dito dekalidad na trabaho ay mga 200,000,” Laguesma explained on Thursday.

(It’s not overnight; there is a process. But during the visits of our President to other countries, there are commitments, and they are already in the process. Our DTI already has an estimate; most of the quality jobs total about 200,000.)

“Iyon ang panimulang bilang nila at puwede pang lumaki depende siguro sa magiging development,” he added.

(That’s the initial number, which can grow even more depending on the development.)

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Citing a recent survey from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the DOLE chief claimed that the country’s employment and even underemployment rate have improved, pointing out that the number of unemployed individuals has lessened.

Marcos visited Brunei, Vietnam, Australia, Germany, the Czech Republic, the United States, and Singapore this year.