100 CONSTRUCTION JOBS AVAILABLE (OR TEACHING MEN HOW TO FISH)

There is a Chinese proverb which says: “Give a man fish today and he will not go hungry for one day; Teach him how to fish and he will not be hungry for the rest of his life.”

In the many years that I have been in public service, I learned so many precious lessons in ensuring sustainable human development.

For example, I have learned over the years that government dole-outs will not go anywhere. In fact, it only promotes mendicancy and dependence on government.

Corn and palay seeds, fertilizer assistance and even farm machineries given out by government often find their way to the nearest agricultural supply store where the recipients sell them at a lower price.

“If I plant these corn seeds, I might yet fail to produce and I will lose money but if I sell the seeds now, I will certainly make a little money,” was the reason presented to me when I confronted one of the farmers who sold the corn seeds given to him by government.

Even providing people in the remote communities with electric power and water does not assure them of a better life.

My experience shows that many of them could not afford to pay the electric and water bills.

The simple conclusion therefore is that if you want to achieve sustainable human development, the first step should be economic empowerment.

Help people earn a living rather than give him money or rice during election campaign period.

Teach him how to cut hair and train her in pedicure and manicure techniques rather than offer “free haircut” and “free pedicure and manicure” during the campaign period.

Most of all give him a job which would earn him something.

In the nine years that I was Governor of North Cotabato, I was deeply engaged in job generation which was made possible by the entry of big agricultural companies like Dole Stanfilco in the Makilala, Kidapawan and Magpet areas which employs about 10,000 directly and indirectly, AJMR Sumitomo in Antipas, Magpet and Arakan which gave jobs to about 5,000 people, and Global Fruits in Arakan which employs about 300 workers.

Even before that, I worked for the reopening of the sugar mill in Matalam which provided job opportunities for thousands both in the mill and in the farms.

The intensified rubber farming program gave jobs to nursery workers including the budders while the successful rubber production and oil palm farming programs also generated jobs for thousands.

The Jobs for Economic Enhancement Program (JEEP), adjudged as one of the outstanding local government innovations in the country by the Dept. of Labor and Employment, provided P20-M loaning facility for those who would like to work abroad while the Magtutudlo sa Barangay Program employed 300 volunteer teachers.

I enhanced the college scholarship program so that children of poor families could finish courses which could help them get better paying jobs.

Even outside of government now, I still work hard to find jobs for my people.

The other day, following my conversation with shopping mall magnate James Gaisano who was introduced to me by my friend, Mayor Rody Duterte of Davao City, I was able to get initially 100 employment slots for carpenters and construction workers from North Cotabato.

James told me he will accept 100 carpenters and construction workers from North Cotabato whom I will recommend to work in his on-going project which is the construction of Gaisano Toril.

For me, providing jobs for 100 people from my province will mean 100 families whose children will be able to eat three times a day and who will be able to go to school by the opening of classes this year.

These are the families who will certainly not queue up for the NFA rice and the few hundred pesos which will be distributed by politicians during the election campaign period.

(photo credit: This photo downloaded from Google.search.com shows construction workers. One hundred workers are needed by Gaisano Mall Toril, Davao City.)