The country’s number of unemployed, which stands at 2.83 million in January based on the latest government data, cannot hide the glaring lack of jobs in the country and the failure of Gloria Arroyo’s so-called job generating programs – even if the government has twisted the definition of unemployment.

Labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno said the most recent jobless rate at 7.3 percent, which is higher than the jobless rate last October at 7.1 percent, proves that the government is making fantasies out of its “employment” programs like the Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Programs (CLEEP) and Nurses Assigned in Rural Service program (NARS).

The government altered the definition of unemployed in 2005, excluding from the labor force those who are either tired from seeking work, or with belief that no work is available for the unemployed

In 2009, independent think-tank Ibon Foundation said up to 25.35 to 31.91 million Filipinos are either jobless or in poor quality work. The figure referes to the combined unemployed, unpaid family workers, own-account workers and non-regular or non-contract wage and salary workers.

“Job-generating programs initiated by the Arroyo government in the past cannot really ease the rising number of unemployed, since jobs under these programs are temporary. Those who are employed maybe three or six months ago may actually be jobless today. There’s no job security under this regime,” said Elmer “Bong” Labog, KMU Chairperson.

“Under such setup, more and more Filipinos are expected to lose hope in finding permanent work. With the government’s twisted definition of unemployment, the possible surge in the number of hopeless workers is included in the jobless rate,” he added.

Labog noted that even under its much-bragged-about CLEEP, the Arroyo government has fallen short of its target, citing a report of the Center for Trade Union and Human Rights. “From an original target of 460,280 jobs only 350 thousand were generated which included street sweeping and office maintenance,” he said.

Aside from worsening jobless rate, the most recent employment data also highlights the steady rise in the number of workers employed in the services sector since last year. From 17.56 million in January last year, the number increased to 18.28 million in mid-2009 up to 18.84 million last January.

“This can only mean a growth in the number of contractuals, which is equivalent to more Filipinos who victims of the glaring lack of decent and regular jobs under the Arroyo regime,” said Labog.

“Not content with the growing number of contractuals, the Arroyo regime is even facilitating forms of contractualization like outsourcing and spin-off in many companies,” he said. #