'Priority is to give decent jobs to people in Yolanda-hit areas'

MANILA, Philippines -The International Labor Organization said the priority in the areas hit by supertyphoon Yolanda is to  give decent jobs to affected individuals who worked in the service industry in a bid to rebuild their lives.

In its first sectoral needs assessment published by the United Nations, the ILO said that providing people with sustainable and decent work can speed up the recovery process of people affected by Yolanda.

"Ensuring jobs for 100,000 men and women that include minimum wages, sound occupational safety, skills development and social protection can change the lives of 500,000 people within 12 months, and beyond," Simon Hills, ILO Disaster Response and Livelihoods Development Officer, said.

Hills said there is a "multiplier effect" in giving decent jobs in an effort to assist families to  fully recovery from the devastation

"One wage-earner can support a family of five. These five people will be able to pay for services in their local area; food, medicine, water, transportation. So, the money that goes to this family through this one job will then circulate with a multiplier effect across the local economy," he added.

He said the ILO has supported the Philippine government in setting up the emergency employment programs in Leyte and Samar, two of the hardest hit by the superhowler.

HIlls said that around 17,000 people have registered for the government's food for work scheme, clearing roads, rehabilitating schools, cleaning hospitals and public infrastructure.

Three other programs are about to start, in Northern Cebu, Negros Occidental and Coron, Palawan, the ILO officer said.

The government has equipped the workers in the program with personal protective gear, such as hats, boots, gloves, long sleeved shirts and masks. They are employed for a minimum of 15 days and receive the wages and social security benefits set by national law.

"It is critical to make sure that people have money and support immediately. However, short-term employment alone is not enough. We also need to provide people with opportunities to develop skills that will enable them to have more stable and reliable sources of income and social protection, inclusive of health insurance," Hill said.

ILO earlier reported that around 5.6 million workers lost their livelihoods because of typhoon. Half of the number came from the service sector.