Editorial

The jobs we need

HE numbers are sobering.

In the face of the global economic slowdown, companies are cutting back production or closing shop altogether. The announcement by Intel last week that it would lay off 1,800 workers and shut down its Cavite manufacturing plant is just the tip of the iceberg.

This week, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines reported that one of the largest Japanese companies operating in Bataan and Cebu, Mitsuimi Philippines, has laid off 4,400 workers and asked the rest of its employees to retire early as it scales down production amid plunging export sales of personal computers and peripheral equipment.

The Labor Department estimates the country could lose 200,000 jobs in the first six months, including 60,000 in the electronics industry.

Now we are told that the business process outsourcing industry, one of the bright spots amid the economic gloom, is not exempt after all. Among the biggest customers of call centers, multinational banks who have been hit hard by the financial meltdown are capping new hiring as the recession damages their revenue and finances. As a result of such cutbacks, industry officials say they may miss the mark on their original forecast of 1 million new outsourcing jobs by 2010.

The government?s response to these dire circumstances has been to focus on pump-priming the economy, with a P10-billion stimulus package that will go to infrastructure projects and the creation of new jobs.

We have no argument with this approach, as long as the infrastructure projects actually prepare us for economic recovery that must follow, and as long as the jobs are truly productive ones, not the kind that involves street sweepers wearing T-shirts proclaiming their love for President Arroyo.

In this same light, we would caution against throwing money at the ailing pre-need industry, simply on the basis that some of their customers may be left holding the bag. Such a bailout would have no productive effect whatsoever, and now is certainly not the time to reward mismanagement or bad judgment. Let?s focus instead on getting the jobs we need.

Automating the vote
Let?s get this straight: Voting machines don?t stop electoral fraud. But they do minimize cheating in important aspects of the process of voting which have been manipulated by politicians since the first elections were held in this country a century ago.

A vocal minority
Allegations of militarization of the Arroyo administration with the appointment of retired military generals to the Cabinet and other sensitive positions are not only misplaced, but even silly and ludicrous.

Flawed debarment proceedings
The Philippine government should follow what China did.
China has asked the World Bank to present proof against the four Chinese firms that it has blacklisted for alleged irregularities in rigging the bid for a Philippine road project.

Courts on wheels roll on
How often do we hear of heart-breaking stories of suspects in crimes?major or minor?languishing in jail for a period longer than the maximum length of imprisonment imposable by law just because their cases are left hanging in the courts? For a long time, it seemed the plight of these inmates, who may be guilty or innocent?seemed to have been given only superficial attention by the government.

Triggering a downward spiral
If what has happened so far since the start of the year is an indication of what?s in store for us for the rest of the year, I am afraid we?re heading for serious trouble and not entirely on account of external forces such as the global recession. We?re heading for serious trouble because quite frankly it seems many among our leaders have resigned themselves to the fact that there?s not much that can be done this year but mope and sulk around and wring our hands in frustration.