He described the labor situation in the local and foreign employment as still in the “normal level”.
In a visit here on Thursday last week, he said they are not alarmed on the possible effects of the crisis to thousands of OFWs.
Roque estimated that some 50,000 OFWs are likely to lose their jobs. However, he assured those who will be displaced that government will give assistance and has readied mechanism and programs to counter the crisis.
He was in Balanga City and distributed checks worth P4.3 million in the form of grants to various organizations in five towns and one city here. The amount is part of the more than P100 million DOLE has earmarked for its Integrated Livelihood Program in the country “to fight poverty and lessen the impact of the financial situation.”
Gov. Enrique Garcia and town mayors thanked Roque for his concern to his provincemates.
The secretary who is a native of Limay, Bataan also confirmed that the United Arab Emirates has announced stoppage in the hiring of foreign workers in Dubai.
“Inaasahan na natin ‘yan dahil ilang buwan ang nakalipas ay inabisuhan na tayo ng UAE,” Roque said. He added that at least 280,000 Filipinos are presently working there.
“Inabuso dahil dati $300 lamang puwede ng kumuha ng visa at may pamasahe na upang marating ang bansang ito sa Middle East,” he said. The Labor secretary said UAE has increased to more than $1,000 the visa fee to discourage foreign workers from entering Dubai.
“DOLE is not concerned if Dubai stops hiring workers because most of the Filipinos there are unregistered or undocumented” he said, adding that workers in Dubai could not bargain for better wages.
The secretary said the government of Saudi Arabia is now processing working visas for 200,000 Filipino workers.
“Nangako sa atin ang Saudi government na i-aabsorb nila ang mawawalan ng trabahong OFWs mula sa Taiwan, South Korea, America at maging mga seamen kaya wala tayong dapat pangambahan,” Roque assured.
He said that 200 Filipino seamen who lost their jobs during the last three weeks were taken in by other foreign employers.
Roque announced that there was an increase of 20 percent this year compared to last year’s in the number of workers leaving for abroad. “In 2007, umabot lamang ng 1.7 milyon ang umalis na manggagawa subalit ngayong taon na ito na Oktubre pa lamang ay mahigit ng isang milyon ang nakaalis,” the DOLE chief said.
