Workers criticized Ferdinand Marcos Jr for his inutility in addressing widespread unemployment. In a statement two weeks before Marcos’ fourth State of the Nation Address or SONA, the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) reminded Marcos of the jobs and industrial development he promised during his third SONA last year.

They said that instead of reducing the number of unemployed individuals back then, the number of jobless workers ballooned even further. This cannot be denied even by data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which stated that the country’s unemployment rate rose to 4.8% in May. This is higher compared to 4.7% in April and 3.9% in May of last year. This is equivalent to 2.5 million unemployed Filipinos. In reality, the true number of unemployed is several times higher.

“This exposes the rottenness of the government’s job creation program: attracting foreign investors and businesses,” the KMU said. “Local industries that should generate regular and decent jobs are intentionally left undeveloped, so that we remain dependent on foreign capitalists.”

According to the group, this setup only plunges Filipinos into jobs that are “seasonal, short-term, and insecure,” where labor rights are suppressed.

In tandem with the worsening unemployment is the crisis of low wages. Based on the latest study by the IBON Foundation, the current minimum wage, which averages ₱512 nationwide, is severely insufficient. It falls short by ₱788 to reach the ₱1,301 family living wage (FLW) for a five-member family can live decently.