Address Agri Joblessness Through Pro-poor Economic Strategy – SE Sector Says

In spite of abundant natural resources, improving one’s life is beset with fewer income opportunities for many farming Filipinos in the rural areas  as indicated in the employment rates in the agricultural sector which hits its lowest in 2014.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in its annual employment survey revealed early last week said that the agricultural sector gets the highest incidence of underemployment at 25.3% and the lowest unemployment rate at 1.7%, compared to the industry and services sector with underemployment rates of 20% and 14% and unemployment rates of 4.1% and 3.1%, respectively.

The Poverty Reduction Through Social Entrepreneurship (PRESENT) Coalition said this shouldn’t be a trend and urged government to help social enterprises in the rural areas to augment job scarcity in the rural areas.

“If we fully develop the cococoir industry in the Philippines and assist other social enterprises as partners, we can create 3 million jobs in the cococoir sector alone,” notes Dr. Lisa Dacanay, president of the Institute of Social Entrepreneurship in Asia.

Social enterprises are wealth-creating and mission-driven organizations that engage in economic activities with the primary objective of reducing poverty. They are enterprises that are owned, managed and participated by the poor and practices equitable wealth distribution or plow-back of profits to their communities.

The Pilipinas EcoFiber in San Pablo, Laguna is providing income opportunities to unemployed mothers in the coconut farming communities through cococoir twining and weaving activities using agricultural waste materials.

Some social enterprises also strive to offer more than the minimum wage in recognizing that the current rates are not enough for decent living. Human Nature gives its regular employees Php 750 per day aside from health care and other benefits. Additionally, profits from some of its products are devoted to the development of sustainable livelihood of its partner farming communities in Bukidnon and Camarines Norte.

A woman works as a twiner in Gubat, Sorsogon in Cocobind, a social enterprise owned by people’s organizations and non-government organizations.

In Yolanda-stricken area of Sta. Fe, Leyte, persons with disabilities (PWDs) who are not even employed before are now working with the Foundation for These-Abled, Inc. (FTI) in producing prefabricated walls and pre-cast foundations used for rehabilitating shelters.

“I find it hard to find a job mainly because people look down on me because of my disability. Compare to my life before Yolanda as unemployed, I can now earn money to sustain myself and stop being dependent on my sister as I was before,” said Roman Sapiqueña, a 40 year-old PWD and one of those who are employed by FTI.

With around 11 million Filipinos employed in the agricultural sector, various social enterprises provide income and job opportunities in this sector where most poor are concentrated.

Conducive Policy Needed

“Social enterprises can do more to contribute to poverty-reduction efforts in the countryside if we shape an environment conducive for its growth.  The rural poor are engaged as workers, suppliers, clients or owners of SEs. More than providing jobs, SEs share the wealth it creates to its members and communities,” explained Jay Bertram Lacsamana, PRESENT Coalition Co-convener and Executive Director of the Foundation for a Sustainable Society.

The Coalition has proposed for the passage of the Poverty Reduction through Social Entrepreneurship (PRESENT) Bill. It seeks to mainstream social entrepreneurship in economic planning, provide tax incentives and exemptions, guarantee funds, non-collaterized loans, and insurance system for social enterprises. The provisions seek to promote adequate social services, employment, raise standard of living and quality of life of million poor Filipinos.

“For farmers who are into the agricultural industry, finding better opportunities and higher income remains a concern. Every year, they are faced with numerous calamities, crop diseases, and low selling prices from capitalists dominating the market,” said Maria Teresa Diokno-Pascual, CEO of the Pilipinas EcoFiber Corporation in San Pablo, Laguna.

The PRESENT Bill is now awaiting for second reading in both houses, after being filed by Representatives Cresente Paez, Teddy Baguilat and Anthony Bravo in the congress and Senator Bam Aquino in the senate.

The PRESENT Coalition is an alliance of various social enterprise practitioners, advocates, NGOs, and academes who have joined together to lobby the passing of the bill in the houses of Congress and the Senate. Convenors of the said alliance are Ateneo School of Government (ASoG) and the Foundation for a Sustainable Society, Inc. (FSSI).