MANILA - The new Director of the Country Office of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Manila says he supports the Philippine government in its goal to promote decent and productive work.

“With the economic crisis we have seen the largest increase in unemployment since the Great Depression,” said Mr Lawrence Jeffrey Johnson, the new Director of the ILO Country Office for the Philippines. “The impact of the economic crisis on vulnerable employment and labour productivity means the number of workers living with their families in poverty is likely to have increased. We see workers living on the margin and at risk of falling further into poverty. As the economy recovers we need to look at employment policies and strategies to help create both decent and productive employment”

Mr Johnson spoke after witnessing the inauguration of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III. In his inaugural speech President Aquino said he will revive the emergency employment programme to provide jobs for local communities and help in the development of the economy. Referring to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), the President highlighted the goal of creating jobs at home so that there will be no need to look for employment abroad. President Aquino ordered relevant agencies to be even more responsive to the needs and welfare of OFWs.

President Aquino also cited the need to strengthen efforts to fund quality education, including vocational education for those who cannot find decent work. The President said he will implement stable economic policies, level the playing field for investors and make government an enabler, not a hindrance to business.

Speaking after the ceremony Mr Johnson added that it was also important for the Philippines to find ways to increase productivity. “We believe that productivity and employment growth are the cornerstones of the fight against poverty,” he said. “A highly trained and educated labour force combined with easy access to capital and technology can lead to a significant increase in productivity and help boost the country’s economy. Dialogue with employers’ and workers’ organizations is also crucial.”

Mr Johnson officially took over as the new Director of the ILO Country Office for the Philippines on July 1st following the retirement of Ms Linda Wirth. Mr Johnson joined the ILO in 1997. Before coming to Manila he served as Chief of the ILO Employment Trends Team, which produces major ILO reports including the annual Global Employment Trends, January 2010 and Key Indicators of the Labour Market (KILM). Mr Johnson also served as technical expert on the United Nations Inter-agency Expert Group for the Millennium Development Goals, and has longstanding experience as a consultant and expert working in Africa, Central America, Caribbean, East Asia, Eastern and Central Europe, Middle East as well as in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.

Mr Johnson is an expert on labour market indicators, trends and evaluation, employment and labour market policy and information, wages and earnings, and hours of work. Prior to joining the ILO, he spent more than ten years as a Labour Market Economist with the United States Department of Labor in Washington.

For further information please contact:

Ms Minette Rimando
ILO Country Office for the Philippines
Tel: +63 2 580 9905 / 580 9900
Email