The number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) displaced due to the prevailing economic crisis is increasing.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday reported that at least 700 more OFWs in Taiwan and other countries were laid off from their jobs.
"We are beginning to account for economically displaced OFWs and as of Monday, we have already recorded a total of 946 displaced workers mainly from Taiwan," Labor Secretary Marianito Roque disclosed.
Aside from displaced OFWs in Taiwan, Roque said, DOLE also recorded 200 Filipino seafarers on board different foreign vessels who were retrenched as a result of the economic slump.
Of the 946 displaced OFWs in Taiwan, 103 have returned home on separate flights last night.
Three hundred construction workers were also displaced two weeks ago from Macau after several casino hotel projects were stopped when foreign investors backed out from the projects due to the economic crisis.
Roque said the government is now readying a package of assistance, including employment referral for overseas and local jobs, training and livelihood programs.
He said the global economic crisis is unlikely to result in massive displacement of Filipino workers in various countries abroad.
"There are two kinds of OFWs who are returning home - those whose contracts have expired and those whose contracts were terminated and we must differentiate between them," Roque explained.
Roque said the workers whose contracts were terminated because of the economic crisis have not yet reached an alarming proportion.
"The Manila Economic and Cultural Office said the number of contracts they are processing is still within normal level which means that while there are displacement, there are also new hiring," Roque pointed out.
Roque added that he met with Philippine Embassy officials in Italy and was told that Filipino household workers there are not affected by the economic crisis.
"Filipino hotel workers in Italy may likely be affected, but they are only few and can easily be re-employed in other hotels there," Roque stressed.
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) reported that about 372 Filipino workers were displaced after their employers declared bankruptcy due to the financial crisis.
POEA Administrator Jennifer Manalili said jobs in other countries that were not affected by the crisis are available for OFWs that were displaced from Taiwan.
Meanwhile, Malacañang assured the people that the government has contingency plans to sustain Filipino workers displaced from their jobs abroad.
Deputy Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez issued the statement following reports that Filipino workers are being retrenched in Taiwan, which has entered into a recession.
Golez said various government agencies, including Departments of Labor and Employment (DOLE): Trade and Industry; Social Welfare and Development, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), have already come up with various microfinance programs for retrenched overseas Filipino workers.
"There are training programs for a change in skills. Like if they were a mechanic in a previous job abroad, they could be retrained as welders and be deployed in other countries," he said.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo told a news briefing at the Palace that teams from the DOLE have "caravans" that go around the country to offer programs in anticipation of more retrenchments in the first quarter of next year.
She said TESDA was ordered to find out which skills would be in demand abroad despite the global economic crisis.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday reported that at least 700 more OFWs in Taiwan and other countries were laid off from their jobs.
"We are beginning to account for economically displaced OFWs and as of Monday, we have already recorded a total of 946 displaced workers mainly from Taiwan," Labor Secretary Marianito Roque disclosed.
Aside from displaced OFWs in Taiwan, Roque said, DOLE also recorded 200 Filipino seafarers on board different foreign vessels who were retrenched as a result of the economic slump.
Of the 946 displaced OFWs in Taiwan, 103 have returned home on separate flights last night.
Three hundred construction workers were also displaced two weeks ago from Macau after several casino hotel projects were stopped when foreign investors backed out from the projects due to the economic crisis.
Roque said the government is now readying a package of assistance, including employment referral for overseas and local jobs, training and livelihood programs.
He said the global economic crisis is unlikely to result in massive displacement of Filipino workers in various countries abroad.
"There are two kinds of OFWs who are returning home - those whose contracts have expired and those whose contracts were terminated and we must differentiate between them," Roque explained.
Roque said the workers whose contracts were terminated because of the economic crisis have not yet reached an alarming proportion.
"The Manila Economic and Cultural Office said the number of contracts they are processing is still within normal level which means that while there are displacement, there are also new hiring," Roque pointed out.
Roque added that he met with Philippine Embassy officials in Italy and was told that Filipino household workers there are not affected by the economic crisis.
"Filipino hotel workers in Italy may likely be affected, but they are only few and can easily be re-employed in other hotels there," Roque stressed.
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) reported that about 372 Filipino workers were displaced after their employers declared bankruptcy due to the financial crisis.
POEA Administrator Jennifer Manalili said jobs in other countries that were not affected by the crisis are available for OFWs that were displaced from Taiwan.
Meanwhile, Malacañang assured the people that the government has contingency plans to sustain Filipino workers displaced from their jobs abroad.
Deputy Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez issued the statement following reports that Filipino workers are being retrenched in Taiwan, which has entered into a recession.
Golez said various government agencies, including Departments of Labor and Employment (DOLE): Trade and Industry; Social Welfare and Development, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), have already come up with various microfinance programs for retrenched overseas Filipino workers.
"There are training programs for a change in skills. Like if they were a mechanic in a previous job abroad, they could be retrained as welders and be deployed in other countries," he said.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo told a news briefing at the Palace that teams from the DOLE have "caravans" that go around the country to offer programs in anticipation of more retrenchments in the first quarter of next year.
She said TESDA was ordered to find out which skills would be in demand abroad despite the global economic crisis.
Post a Comment