Responding to Communications Secretary Dave Gomez’ statement that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday will highlight government “accomplishments,” a labor NGO warned that these achievements are not felt by workers and majority of Filipinos.

The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) said that the government’s achievements in health, education, public works transparency, food security and other areas are being offset by high prices, widespread unemployment, and failure to hold corrupt government officials accountable.

“Workers and Filipinos do not feel the government’s so-called achievements, and that’s an indication that there are no real improvements in their lives. In recent history, this situation was exploited by anti-democratic demagogues like the Dutertes to gain popular support,” said Kamz Deligente, CTUHR executive director.

CTUHR said that the “historic” P85 minimum wage increase in Metro Manila and cash assistance to workers and poor Filipinos are indications that the government recognizes that the problem with high prices is real, but do not go far enough to provide genuine relief to the country’s majority.

“Conditions call for a truly significant increase in workers’ wages, one that will bring wages closer to a decent level. Unfortunately, the Marcos Jr government does not have the political will to side with workers and the majority and stand up to employers, especially the biggest and foreign ones,” Deligente added.

Deligente said the country’s ascent to upper middle-income (UMIC) status means nothing for workers and most Filipinos in the face of rising informality and unemployment. She cited independent think-tank Ibon Foundation’s study that shows that 78% of employed Filipinos are informals, while 4.5 million, not just 2.5 million as the government claims, are really unemployed.

“The vice president’s impeachment trial is not enough for many Filipinos to stop supporting the Dutertes. People want to see fairness, and those responsible for corrupt flood control projects to be prosecuted, too. People want to feel change, and their economic situation to improve,” Deligente said.

CTUHR said that the government’s depiction of Pax Silica as creating jobs in the taps into Filipinos’ sense of widespread unemployment but embodies a refusal to truly address widespread joblessness.

“No country has sustainably created decent jobs by relying on another country. We need an independent agricultural and industrial policy to create jobs. Pax Silica is a false solution to unemployment, and is mainly a geopolitical move that will bring the country deeper into the US-China conflict that could become violent,” Deligente added.