Government has been urged to make its unemployment cash aid program “more granular”, focusing on women and youth workers who have been hardest hit by pandemic-triggered business closures.

The call was made by Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, who said that both government statistics and private surveys showed that “Millennials, the Miss and the Mrs.” are among the largest demographics which lost jobs during the greatest economic contraction since World War II.

“Not surprising, as the service industry is run by young people. Plus this nation’s graduating Class of 2020 joined the labor market at the worst possible time,” Recto said.

A Social Weather Station (SWS) poll taken in July showed youth unemployment rate of 63.4 percent before easing to 58.2 percent in September.

As to gender, 55.8 percent of women said they were unemployed, against 35.8 percent among men, in the same July SWS survey.

These, however, improved to 51.1 percent and 29 percent respectively in September as the economy started to open up from months of lockdown.

“If you compare, yung joblessness sa kabataan at kababaihan mas mataas sa national rate na 45.5 percent in July at 39.5 percent noong Setyembre,” Recto said.

A labor force survey done by the Philippine Statistics Authority revealed an even 10 percent unemployment rate for men and women, but more than double among the youth at 22.4 percent.

The said government count was taken in July.

In helping the unemployed, Recto batted for “a sectoralized assistance approach for better monitoring” during his questioning of the Department of Labor and Employment’s proposed budget of P33.31 billion for 2021.

“Magandang ma-unbundle sana. Kaya lang may administrative challenges. Pero yung sa farmers and drivers nagawa naman,” Recto said.

Tucked in the proposed appropriations is P24.09 billion in livelihood and cash assistance for those who have been furloughed from work, including returning Filipinos from abroad.(###)