The administration needs a “Balik-Trabaho Czar” (Back to Work czar) that will focus on solving unemployment problems in the country as several businesses suffer due to lockdowns.
It was proposed by opposition member, Sen. Risa Hontiveros during budget deliberations in the Senate.
“Sa ngayon, hindi malinaw kung sinong opisyal ng pamahalaan ang dapat nakatutok sa pagbuo at pagbalik ng trabaho para sa ating mga kababayan.”
[As of now, it is not clear which government official is in charge of creating and bringing back jobs for our countrymen.]
The senator noted that the executive branch seemed to be fond on appointing ‘czars’ in responding to COVID-19 pandemic.
“Tutal mahilig ang Malacañang sa pag-aapoint ng czar sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng Covid-19 response, sana ay may italaga din ng ‘Balik Trabaho Czar’ na magsisikap na ibalik ang trabaho ng milyong-milyong Pilipino ngayong panahon ng krisis,” she said.
[Since Malacañang is fond of appoining czars for different parts of the COVID-19 response, I hope they can also appoint a ‘Back-to-Work’ czar who will work hard to bring back jobs for millions of Filipinos during this crisis.]
If the unemployment problem is not solved immediately, it will lead to hunger and more out of school youth, Hontiveros said.
“The unemployment crisis may not be an infectious disease like COVID-19, but it is spreading fast like one in communities nationwide,” she said.
“This is an urgent problem that seriously needs utmost attention from government,” she said.
