Military offers 2,000 jobs to Filipino civilians?!

It seems being a Filipino does have many privileges. One of them is about jobs. Recently President Arroyo was reported to make a claim that "some 5,000 new jobs will be available for Filipinos in Singapore with the expansion of the Resort World at Sentosa Island". Whether her claim is true or not, it's difficult to say. (For sure, though, Resort World does not release any similar statement about those 5,000 news jobs for Filipinos.)

Now I just come across another news about how 2,000 jobs shall be offered by "The Armed Forces of the Philippines" (AFP) to those recently retrenched Filipinos.

Fantastic. An overly-caring government? Well, as long as they can afford to do so. If it's sustainable for a long run, then it's good for both the government (especially if the election is approaching in year 2010) & the Filipinos who are desperately in the need of a job.

Otherwise, there may be disappointment incurred if the Filipinos who secured the 2,000 jobs would face another retrenchment session just because they are ill-equipped.

And let's not forget about the unhappiness which would surely be resulted from those who do not manage to join the lucky 2,000 Filipinos. After all, the AFP spokesperson, Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres Jr. claimed--rather irresponsibly, if you ask me--that “anyone can apply as long as they are registered as displaced workers with the Department of Labor and Employment.”

Well, perhaps they may then fly to Singapore and apply for the "5,000 new jobs will be available for Filipinos".

Yeah. Sure. The truth is of course there will be new jobs for the incoming Integrated Resorts in Singapore. But why should they be limited to Filipinos?

Job seekers locally from Singapore & from the neighboring countries will compete for the jobs. And it's up to the employer to decide who to be recruited.

There may be an element of politics involved, but I would love to think that the decisions of who to be given the jobs would be made solely based on the merits of the applicants. Regardless of their citizenships!

REFERENCES:
- Manila Standard Today, "5,000 jobs available in Singapore".
- Inquirer.net, "Military offers 2,000 jobs to civilians"
- Wikipedia on Philippine general election, 2010.