The number of poor Filipino workers who are working in the informal economy and cannot afford the cost of living standard of P19.50 per meal a day has reached 27.1 million since January this year, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines-Nagkaisa (TUCP-Nagkaisa) said on Monday.
TUCP-Nagkaisa spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said the informal economy or "underground economy" sector refers to poor individuals who operate business that are very small in scale and not registered with any national government agency.
"Workers in the informal economy sell their services in exchange for subsistence wages or other forms of compensation," he said.
The National Economic Development Authority and the Philippine Statistics Authority said a family of five needs P8,778 a month which is equivalent to P292.60 a day or P19.50 per person for three meals a day in 2012.
The two agencies said workers in the informal sector economy, for the same year, earn an average income of P5,750 a month or P221.15 a day. Both agencies are expected to release government poverty standard in July this year.
Using this equation, Tanjusay said poor workers need a minimum of P3,028 more a month or P100.93 more a day in order to survive. He said informal sector workers are working people most vulnerable to risks and engage in variety of schemes for them to cope.
"Despite of their significant contribution to the growing economy, government intervention for them to survive or to cope is very small. They have no choice but they rather on their own try to cope and meet both ends by the day not by weeks or by months. Most of them borrow money from loan operators despite exorbitant 6 to 10-percent interest rates. Some bet in daily, small-time illegal gambling. Some are engaged in sideline," Tanjusay said.
Informal sector workers includes jeepney and tricycle drivers, wet and dry vendors, bus and truck drivers and conductors, truck assistants, salesladies, barbers, beauticians and port workers.
According to PSA's Labor Force Survey released in March this year, there are 27.1 million workers in the informal sector economy out of the 67.153 million total work force beginning this year.
Forty million of which are employed while 2.466 million are unemployed and 7.879 million are underemployed. In October 2015, there were 26.853 million workers in the informal economy, PSA data showed - Vito Barcelo / The Standard
TUCP-Nagkaisa spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said the informal economy or "underground economy" sector refers to poor individuals who operate business that are very small in scale and not registered with any national government agency.
"Workers in the informal economy sell their services in exchange for subsistence wages or other forms of compensation," he said.
The National Economic Development Authority and the Philippine Statistics Authority said a family of five needs P8,778 a month which is equivalent to P292.60 a day or P19.50 per person for three meals a day in 2012.
The two agencies said workers in the informal sector economy, for the same year, earn an average income of P5,750 a month or P221.15 a day. Both agencies are expected to release government poverty standard in July this year.
Using this equation, Tanjusay said poor workers need a minimum of P3,028 more a month or P100.93 more a day in order to survive. He said informal sector workers are working people most vulnerable to risks and engage in variety of schemes for them to cope.
"Despite of their significant contribution to the growing economy, government intervention for them to survive or to cope is very small. They have no choice but they rather on their own try to cope and meet both ends by the day not by weeks or by months. Most of them borrow money from loan operators despite exorbitant 6 to 10-percent interest rates. Some bet in daily, small-time illegal gambling. Some are engaged in sideline," Tanjusay said.
Informal sector workers includes jeepney and tricycle drivers, wet and dry vendors, bus and truck drivers and conductors, truck assistants, salesladies, barbers, beauticians and port workers.
According to PSA's Labor Force Survey released in March this year, there are 27.1 million workers in the informal sector economy out of the 67.153 million total work force beginning this year.
Forty million of which are employed while 2.466 million are unemployed and 7.879 million are underemployed. In October 2015, there were 26.853 million workers in the informal economy, PSA data showed - Vito Barcelo / The Standard
No comments:
Post a Comment