Unemployment and Underemployment

Considered as the two of the “hard to solve” socio-economic problems that can cause undesirable effects on the individual’s economic and social status.

Unemployment - refers to as a jobless condition while Underemployment refers to as a condition wherein an employed individual’s work is insufficient to fulfill his needs.

There are social and political implications of underemployment such as Poverty – it may cause the increase in crime rate, squatting, malnutrition; Unemployed people may also blame the government because of the latter’s incapability to provide or generate jobs for the masses; It would also gradually degenerate moral community norms and values; Unemployed individuals may eventually address their distrust to the church.

The Causes of Unemployment are the following:

• Institutions have “under-subscription” of long-term courses and “over-subscription” on common courses.
• Physical and natural cause such as calamities
• Frequent change in season
• Influx of technological inventions
• Discrimination in the workplace
• Prospective workers outlook toward employment
• Population growth

The effects of unemployment in Economy-Malnutritionand Increase of the number of out of school youth; Morality - Employed individuals may tend to engage into illegal acts in order to survive such as drug trafficking, prostitution, illegal recruitment. The moral foundation (i.e. the family and the church) may not be effective in impoverished and unemployed society and individual.Hopelessness (self-pity and anguish) and family discord are inevitable

Underemployment and Unemployment Issues

• (NSO) nine out ten Filipinos are literate

• literacy rate of the Philippines has been consistent for ten years

• Newly-graduate students are desperately preoccupied with limitless search for job opportunities.

• The schools must design their curricula in consideration of the needs of the prevailing system in the economy.

Nowadays, we can not deny the fact that we are facing the aforementioned problems worldwide even the first class countries are experiencing this state. What should be the actions of those political leaders regarding to these problems? Are we to remain silent and be contended the present situation we have today? Let us make a difference to raise the economy of our respective places.