CITY OF SAN FERNANDO- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Central Luzon has started giving out loans of as much as P.5 million to workers displaced by the global economic crisis in the region.
Geraldine Panlilio, chief labor employment officer of the DOLE here, said that the loans are part of the Arroyo administration’s Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP).
She said that the amount of loan would depend on the number of people who could be employed by an applicant’s proposed project. She could not immediately say whether a ceiling has been imposed on the loans.
The number of Central Luzon workers affected by the global economic crisis has reached 10,464. Of the total number of workers affected, 3,443 totally lost their jobs while 6,539 others now earn less arising from such measures as reduction of their working hours and job rotation.
Another 371 more workers were affected by the temporary shutdown of their companies, but they are expected to return to work in six months unless their companies opt to permanently close. In the latter case, the companies are mandated by law to entitle the affected workers to separation pay and other related benefits, Panlilio said.
Of the 3,443 who permanently lost their jobs, a total of 111 lost jobs because of the permanent closure of their firms in Bataan and Bulacan.
The figures were based on reports gathered by the DOLE here from all over Central Luzon since last November.
The latest figures on the affected workers in Central Luzon was a big jump from 3,368 workers who totally lost their jobs and 5,056 others affected by work rescheduling as of last Feb. 11 but Panlilio noted that in the past week after the abrupt rise in figures, her office did not receive any report on further layoffs.
Panlilio noted that most of the affected workers are those working for export-oriented firms, particularly those engaged semi-conductor and electronics manufacturing, steel manufacturing and metal plating, and furniture.
“High end products are the most affected. It is easy to conclude that those employed in firms catering to local markets are not really that affected,” she said.
Panlilio said, however, that “we are still hopeful that we are not headed for the worst”.
Earlier, the DOLE said that nationwide, as much as 300,000 persons could lose their jobs over the next six months as the global crisis deepens.
The number of workers affected in Central Luzon, however is smaller compared to some 62,000 workers in the Calabarzon are in the Southern Tagalog region.
Earlier, Malacañang set the stage for the temporary employment of 180,000 Filipinos from the middle and middle-low income classes and the poorest of the poor as part of the government’s strategy to cushion the impact of the deepening global financial turmoil.
In issuing Executive Order (EO) No. 738, Pres. Arroyo stressed that the 180,000 workers to be hired for six months far exceed the number of job losses of 39,000 since last year as reported by the DOLE.
Under the EO, the President directed all Cabinet members to draw up and prepare emergency work programs, doable and fundable livelihood projects designed to benefit the vulnerable sectors of the population.
She ordered all government agencies to set aside 1.5 percent of their respective allocations for maintenance, overhead and operating expenses for the six-month emergency employment program.
Of the 180,000 jobs to be opened, 20,000 will be in the Subic and Clark Economic Zones, Pampanga, Tarlac, Bataan and Zambales; 50,000 in Region lV-A and the Bicol provinces; 20,000 in Cebu, Mactan Economic Zones, Leyte and Samar;, and 5,000 in the CARAGA region.
The remainder will be “distributed among the other regions of the country, with priority for the 10 poorest provinces and the 1,000 poorest municipalities.”
In another significant move, the President had also ordered the integration of the government’s livelihood programs into a one-stop shop under the Regional Livelihood Program Office.
At present these livelihood programs are implemented separately by the DOLE, Department of Trade and Industry (ADTI), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Finance (DOF), and Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs).
The President also directed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to provide opportunities for 250,000 workers over the six-month period.
Geraldine Panlilio, chief labor employment officer of the DOLE here, said that the loans are part of the Arroyo administration’s Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP).
She said that the amount of loan would depend on the number of people who could be employed by an applicant’s proposed project. She could not immediately say whether a ceiling has been imposed on the loans.
The number of Central Luzon workers affected by the global economic crisis has reached 10,464. Of the total number of workers affected, 3,443 totally lost their jobs while 6,539 others now earn less arising from such measures as reduction of their working hours and job rotation.
Another 371 more workers were affected by the temporary shutdown of their companies, but they are expected to return to work in six months unless their companies opt to permanently close. In the latter case, the companies are mandated by law to entitle the affected workers to separation pay and other related benefits, Panlilio said.
Of the 3,443 who permanently lost their jobs, a total of 111 lost jobs because of the permanent closure of their firms in Bataan and Bulacan.
The figures were based on reports gathered by the DOLE here from all over Central Luzon since last November.
The latest figures on the affected workers in Central Luzon was a big jump from 3,368 workers who totally lost their jobs and 5,056 others affected by work rescheduling as of last Feb. 11 but Panlilio noted that in the past week after the abrupt rise in figures, her office did not receive any report on further layoffs.
Panlilio noted that most of the affected workers are those working for export-oriented firms, particularly those engaged semi-conductor and electronics manufacturing, steel manufacturing and metal plating, and furniture.
“High end products are the most affected. It is easy to conclude that those employed in firms catering to local markets are not really that affected,” she said.
Panlilio said, however, that “we are still hopeful that we are not headed for the worst”.
Earlier, the DOLE said that nationwide, as much as 300,000 persons could lose their jobs over the next six months as the global crisis deepens.
The number of workers affected in Central Luzon, however is smaller compared to some 62,000 workers in the Calabarzon are in the Southern Tagalog region.
Earlier, Malacañang set the stage for the temporary employment of 180,000 Filipinos from the middle and middle-low income classes and the poorest of the poor as part of the government’s strategy to cushion the impact of the deepening global financial turmoil.
In issuing Executive Order (EO) No. 738, Pres. Arroyo stressed that the 180,000 workers to be hired for six months far exceed the number of job losses of 39,000 since last year as reported by the DOLE.
Under the EO, the President directed all Cabinet members to draw up and prepare emergency work programs, doable and fundable livelihood projects designed to benefit the vulnerable sectors of the population.
She ordered all government agencies to set aside 1.5 percent of their respective allocations for maintenance, overhead and operating expenses for the six-month emergency employment program.
Of the 180,000 jobs to be opened, 20,000 will be in the Subic and Clark Economic Zones, Pampanga, Tarlac, Bataan and Zambales; 50,000 in Region lV-A and the Bicol provinces; 20,000 in Cebu, Mactan Economic Zones, Leyte and Samar;, and 5,000 in the CARAGA region.
The remainder will be “distributed among the other regions of the country, with priority for the 10 poorest provinces and the 1,000 poorest municipalities.”
In another significant move, the President had also ordered the integration of the government’s livelihood programs into a one-stop shop under the Regional Livelihood Program Office.
At present these livelihood programs are implemented separately by the DOLE, Department of Trade and Industry (ADTI), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Finance (DOF), and Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs).
The President also directed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to provide opportunities for 250,000 workers over the six-month period.
