Employment for laborers assured

EMPLOYMENT for laborers may soon be mandatory.

In a new law by councilor Joel Alangsab, jobs for the majority will have to be a right not a privilege.

"The City Government, in its pursuit to uplift the standard of living of it constituents by generating employment and enticing income generating activities for its constituents particularly those who are qualified and able bodied citizens by taking the cudgels of enjoining investors to hire a certain percentage of employees from its bonafide constituents," Alangsab claimed.

Alangsab said the employment rate in the Cordillera has deceased as unemployment rate increased by 0.4 percentage point from 4.1 percent in October 2015 to 4.5 percent in October 2016 according o the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Department of Labor and Employment statistics in 2012 show that close to 9,000 unemployed are currently in Baguio City.

The new law will require all business establishments, investors

and contractors to hire a minimum of 80 percent of their work force from qualified residents.

All businesses, establishments and industries manufacturing or rendering services in the ordinary course of trade and business with existing prior to the enactment of the Alangsab law are required to submit an annual report of the complete list of the name and address of their employees before being given a mayor's permit.

The Public Employment and Service Office in coordination with the barangay affairs and permits and licensing division will be the agency in charge in the implementation.

Alangsab said the new measure is in support of the previous, Baguio first policy, by councilor Leandro Yangot which makes it mandatory for all employers operating in the city to give preference to qualified Baguio residents in the hiring of applicants for employment.