Asia-Pacific countries discuss responses to global economic crisis
The Ministries of labour and finance, senior UN, World Bank and
government officials, workers and employers representatives from more
than 10 Asia and the Pacific countries met in Manila to discuss
effective responses to the current economic crisis.
Forum delegates reviewed a new International Labour Organization (ILO)
report that gives a preliminary assessment of the impact of the crisis
in Asia and the Pacific, reviews countries' responses, highlights policy
options for effectively tackling the crisis and creating a sustainable
development path for the future.
The High-level regional forum, "Responding to the Economic Crisis -
Coherent Policies for Growth, Employment and Decent Work in Asia and the
Pacific", was convened by the ILO in collaboration with the Asian
Development Bank and the Department of Labour and Employment of the
Philippines.
The topics discussed included the impact of the crisis on economies,
vulnerable people, and societies. Gender issues, social protection, the
creation of a social floor to cushion the impact, strengthening policy
coherence and lessons from the previous crisis, will also be discussed.
"There is an urgent need to focus on how this crisis is affecting
ordinary working people," said ILO Regional Director for Asia and the
Pacific, Sachiko Yamamoto. "If policies are to be effective then job
creation and protection must be at the core of national crisis response
plans and the potential rise in working poverty must be addressed. This
forum is an important opportunity to review the effects of different
crisis-response policies and consider which ones will position countries
best for a swift, sustainable and equitable recovery." The report, The
fallout in Asia: Assessing labour market impacts and national policy
responses to the global financial crisis, has been prepared by the ILO's
Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, which is based in Bangkok.
In reviewing existing crisis response measures the report said that
just as important as the size of national rescue packages is the need to
focus fiscal measures on areas that have the largest potential
multiplier effect.
Another important consideration is whether they enhance economies'
medium-term growth potential - so that increased fiscal spending now
will be covered by higher future revenues, without the need for
prohibitive tax increases.
Maximizing the employment impact of stimulus packages and maintaining
household incomes and purchasing power should be a central goal, the
report said. Packages should be capable of being rolled out rapidly and
have a significant impact on employment almost immediately.
Measures that are likely to meet these criteria and have a strong
multiplier effect include:
* Expanding already-approved public spending projects (e.g.
infrastructure, housing, health, education).
* Scaling up existing social transfers (e.g. unemployment benefit
systems, welfare payments to low income families, other poverty
reduction programs) will help protect the poor and most vulnerable.
* Programs to help poor families keep their children in school.
* Fiscal measures that target credit-constrained businesses;
particularly SMEs, labour-intensive industries or those that don't rely
on imports.
While job insecurity is clearly on the rise the report also said
there are some grounds for optimism in the region. Many countries enjoy
considerable fiscal room for countercyclical policy measures to address
the crisis.
Asia's developing economies, which are faring far better than the
region's industrialized economies, are expected to grow by 5.5 per cent
in 2009. When the recovery begins many Asian economies may bounce back
quickly, due to their policies and solid underlying fundamentals.
The three-day regional forum took place at the InterContinental
Hotel, Ayala Avenue, Makati City, Philippines from February 18 to 20.
The meeting was held with financial support from the Government of
Norway.
ILO News |