Where Are the Jobs? A Businessman’s Plea for Aklan’s Economic Future

By: Guillermo Sumbiling

Where are the jobs?

That’s the question I’m asked almost every day—by young applicants hoping to get hired, by parents asking if we’re expanding, by former workers who had to leave Aklan for Manila, Cebu, or even abroad just to survive.

As a small business owner in Kalibo, I wish I had better answers. But the truth is: we can’t keep pretending everything is okay.

In 2023, Kalibo’s own LGU reported a 53% unemployment rate among its 53,530-strong labor force. That’s more than 28,000 people without steady jobs. Another 5.69% are underemployed—barely getting by. These numbers aren’t just statistics; they are signs of a deeper economic disconnect.

And yet, when we look at the agenda of our local leaders, you’d hardly know this crisis exists.

The committees on business and economic development—those that should be drafting job creation strategies and supporting local enterprise—are often treated as token assignments, not serious drivers of policy. Few elected officials are talking about attracting industries, building new sectors, or even improving basic services for small entrepreneurs like me.

Worse, the biggest employer in the province is still the government itself. While it may offer security to a few, it’s also the most inefficient and unsustainable way to grow an economy. Government jobs can’t absorb the thousands who need meaningful, long-term work.

What we need is a clear, committed economic vision for Aklan—a plan that goes beyond fiestas, infrastructure ribbon-cuttings, or one-time livelihood giveaways. We need local industries that can grow: agro-processing, food manufacturing, logistics, creative services, digital startups.

As an SME, I’ve seen firsthand how hard it is to scale up without consistent policy support. We deal with outdated regulations, unclear permits, poor infrastructure, and minimal investment incentives. And yet, we try. We continue to employ, train, and adapt—because this is our home.

But we can’t do it alone.

If our leaders don’t make job generation and business development a central part of their governance, we will lose more than just revenue. We will lose our people—the next generation of Aklanons who will find no reason to stay.

Where are the jobs? They’re waiting to be created. But first, we need leaders who are brave enough to put the economy first.

We need a government that works hand-in-hand with the private sector—not just to regulate, but to empower. We need vision, action, and most of all, political will.

Because the question is no longer just “Where are the jobs?”

It’s “Where are the leaders who will fight for them?”

— A Concerned Small Businessman in Kalibo (photo by: PESO-Kalibo)