UNEMPLOYMENT xxx

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/opinion/view/20091009-229188/Why-Philippine-unemployment-rate-is-high

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Increasing amount on the Unemployment rate in the Philippines

         As the economist defined the word unemployment, it is an economic condition that wherein individuals seeking for jobs that remain unhired. It is also expressed as a percentage of the total available work force. Wherein the level of unemployment varies with economic condition and other circumstances.

          In this article wrote by Fernando Fajardo, he talks about why the Philippines our country has a big amount of unemployment rate: the first one is the global recession, meaning because our unemployment was already high there is no way that the global recession could do to make it much higher. The second one is that our neighbor countrys just like Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore has a lower amount of unemployment rate the reason is that the failure to attract more investments and resulting to inability to grow as fast as our neighbors aconomically.

          Thus, employment opportunities associated with the modern economy, mostly services and manufacturing are concentrated in a few urban centers. The country's high rate of population growth results in large additions to the labor force each year in an economy with a high rate of unemployment and even higher underemploymeny. The shortage of employment opportunities has resulted in large-scale migration of Filipino workers, both sophisticated professionals and unskilled workers to countries such as United States and Malaysia. Approximately there are 6 million Filipinos who work abroad. Many of them send a portion of their earnings to relatives in the Philippines, infusing the economy with a significant source of foreign exchange.

          Economist have described the 4 causes of unemployment as FRICTIONAL, SEASONAL, STRUCTURAL, and CYCLICAL.

* Frictional unemployment arises because workers seeking jobs do not find them immediately; while looking for work they are counted as unemployed.

* Seasonal unemployment occurs when industries have a slow season, such as construction and other outdoor work in winter. It also occurs at the end of the school year in June, when large numbers of students and graduates look for work.

* Structural unemployment arises from an imbalance between the kinds of workers wanted by employers and the kinds of workers looking for jobs. The imbalances may be caused by inadequacy in skills, location, or personal characteristics.

*Cyclical unemployment results from a general lack of demand for labor. When the business cycle turns downward, demand for goods and services drops; consequently workers are laid off.

     However, the effect of it is generally known everywhere in the means of procedure where people search for job and they cant find it is called unemployment. The outcome of so called UNEMPLOYMENT has lead to many things in the modern world, unemployed people are the people with low standard of living, it only exist in wee country in today modern world where the government we share of remunerate that are unemployed. The people surfing today's world are people that have search for job and they did not get it or the illiteracy ones . 

      As I situate myself as one of the unemployed worker, in the society in which most of the people can earn a living only by working for others, being unable to find a job is a serious problem. Because of its human cost in deprivation and a feeling of rejection and personal failure; the extent of unemployment is widely used as a measure of worker's welfare. The propotion of workers unemployed also show how well a nation's human resources are used and serve as an index of economic activity.

    

         

     

Yours, "Mines", and Ours

Mining is not the enemy, poverty is

Philippine Daily Inquirer March 3, 2012



http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/155113/manny-pangilinan-mining-is-not-the-enemy-poverty-is

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 "Average cellphone contains about 24 milligrams of gold, 250 milligrams og silver, 3, 800 milligram of cobalt and 9 milligram of palladium." (Pangilinan, Inquirer, March 2012) Almost all the gadgets and tools of modern living- from cellphones to computers, automobiles and planes to the chalice used in the Eucharist- come from the materials that are mined. it simply supports to the issue that mining must continue. But what is really mining all about? How does it affect our economic growth? 

   In 2004 GDP grew by 4.5%, similar to 2003, and per capita GDP (in terms of purchasing power parity) amounting to an estimated US$4, 600. Mineral contribution to export earnings has declined from 20% in 1980 to 2% in 2004. The Philippines mines gold (37, 800 kg in 2003), silver (9, 600 kg in 2003). cooper (2003: 20, 400 t), nickel ore (2003: 0.962 Mt), coal (2003: 2.03 Mt) and cement (2003: 326, 670 kg). The country also produces oil and gas.

    The Philippine government grants Mineral production sharing agreements on condition that the mining activities are managed in a technically, financially, socially, culturally and environmentally responsible manner to enhance the national growth and welfare of the Philippines.

    The Department of Environment and Natural Resources requires an environmental clearance certificate for any mining activity at a more advanced stage than mineral exploration. The ECC is issued by the DENR based on an environmental impact statement prepared by the company in accordance with the procedures under the environmental impact assessment system. A completed ecological profile of the proposed mining area is required as part of these procedures. 

    The ECC is the basis for the environmental protection and enhancement program, which every party to an MPSA must undertake within the subject area of the MPSA. To implement an approved APEP, an Annual Environment Protection and Enhancement Program is required to be submitted 30 days prior to the beginning of every calendar year. To ensure compliance with the APEP, mine site inspections and quarterly monitoring are conducted by the DENR and a multiparty monitoring team composed of local government units, host communities, any affected indigenous cultural communities, non- governmental organizations, the DENR and the company.

  The Philippines Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), in co-ordination with other relevant government agencies and the mining industry, is finalising a Minerals Action Plan (MAP) in an attempt to harmonise the laws of local governments with forestry and lands legislation, and the Indigenous People Rights Act (IPRA). The responsibilities for the environment will be separated from the DENR. In January 2004 the Philippine Supreme Court reached a decision that nullified some provisions in the 1995 Philippine Mining Act that allow 100% foreign equity in large mining projects (requiring an investment of more than US$50 million) through Financial and Technical Assistance Agreements (FTAAs). The Supreme Court also declared as null and void provisions in the Mining Act relating to Exploration Permits and Mineral Processing Permits. A recent law also gives the power of veto to indigenous people where a new mine is planned on ancestral lands.

  As of the end of December the government of the Philippines issued 762 mining rights, though, of the total land area of the Philippines, only 1,9% are held by mining rights.

Notable gold, copper iron, nickel and chromite deposits can be found in various parts of the Philippines. (mining journal, www.mibe.com).

POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF MINING

Positive Effect

·  Mining touches most aspects of our daily life – when we build our home, use our laptops, and take our car to work.

·   Mining industry could boost the country’s economic growth to 7 to 8 percent, the pace of growth needed to break the poverty trends

·   Mining would create hundreds of thousands more jobs

· Mining will build more roads, and bring basic utilities like water and electricity to the communities.

Negative Effect 

*Mines that were simply abandoned by the mining operators causes acid mine drainage, siltation, ghost towns and other nightmares to the host companies.

*Mining inevitably affects the environment and no amount of tree planting by mining companies can restore biodiversity in any area that suffers damage from the extractive industry.

*Developmental effects of mining cannot be carried out without affecting and disturbing natural resources.

 

*Mining results to deforestation and mineral degradation.

*Mining is tourism’s another potential growth driver.

 Suggestions:

 

      For mining industry to benefit the country, it should meet four conditions: that environmental and social costs are accounted for; that the country gets full share of value extracted minerals; the institutional capacity government must be put in place; and money for mining must be used to create new capital, including human capital and boost infrastructure in the countryside.

   Mining industry is not perfect, which sometimes leads to perception that mining is dangerous and destructive. The following are some suggestions to eliminate the said perception:

·   *That national and local policies on mining need to be harmonized and the cooperation of local government units must be procured in order to subject small scale miners to the same regulation as large scale miners;

· *That the capacity and competence of state regulators be improved particularly in regard to equipment and quantity and quality of regulatory staff;

· *That there must be an independent environmental commission responsible for supervising and enforcing environmental concerns;

·  *That the private sector be open to a profit-sharing scheme which will assure the government of a more appropriate share in the benefits derived from the resources. 

  

 *That mining benefits between host local government units and the national government be shared more equitably. 

 

“MVP: Mining is not an enemy, poverty is”. Putting my best foot forward as a miner, I will not run away from my responsibilities to the environment and the people. Mining cites should have environmental rehabilitation afterwards. Anticipating the potential effects of mining, I will allow the government to monitor my mining industry and be vigilant of what’s going on. Such mining projects should leave legacy mines.

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