CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The number of Central Luzon workers affected by the global economic crisis has reached 10,464 as of yesterday, but officials of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) noted a slowdown in the rate of layoffs and work rescheduling.
In an interview with Punto, Geraldine Panlilio, chief labor employment officer of the DOLE in the region noted that 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.
She also noted that 371 more workers were affected by the temporary shut down of their companies, but noted she expected them to return to work in six months unless their companies opt to permanently close and give them their separation pay.
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 from all over Central Luzon since last November, Panlilio said.
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.
She noted that most of the affected workers are those working for export-oriented firms, particularly those engaged in 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 area in the Southern Tagalog region.
In her recent visits to Pampanga, Pres. Arroyo insisted the country has remained outside the sphere of two-thirds of the world already reeling from the effects of the global economic crisis.
But Sen. Loren Legarda criticized the Arroyo government for insisting on this. She lamented that instead of facing the global threat and implementing measures to protect the Philippine economy, “the administration talked as if the Philippines would be exempted from the financial meltdown, even though there were already warning signs that the Philippines was extremely vulnerable to the global crisis, especially as its exports were declining.”
In an interview with Punto, Geraldine Panlilio, chief labor employment officer of the DOLE in the region noted that 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.
She also noted that 371 more workers were affected by the temporary shut down of their companies, but noted she expected them to return to work in six months unless their companies opt to permanently close and give them their separation pay.
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 from all over Central Luzon since last November, Panlilio said.
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.
She noted that most of the affected workers are those working for export-oriented firms, particularly those engaged in 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 area in the Southern Tagalog region.
In her recent visits to Pampanga, Pres. Arroyo insisted the country has remained outside the sphere of two-thirds of the world already reeling from the effects of the global economic crisis.
But Sen. Loren Legarda criticized the Arroyo government for insisting on this. She lamented that instead of facing the global threat and implementing measures to protect the Philippine economy, “the administration talked as if the Philippines would be exempted from the financial meltdown, even though there were already warning signs that the Philippines was extremely vulnerable to the global crisis, especially as its exports were declining.”
