Displaced workers hired on spot

Thursday, January 19, 2012

SOME Gaisano Capital South employees were hired on the spot during the special job fair of Cebu City’s Department of Manpower Development and Placement (DMDP).

Department Head Fidel Magno revealed that DMDP conducted three special hirings in the office with about 10 employers between Jan. 11 and 16. A fourth job fair will be conducted today at the DMDP office on Ramos St.

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Magno said 49 people were hired on the spot. Most of them were displaced workers of Gaisano Capital, although Magno could not give an exact figure.

The special hiring was called for specifically for the displaced workers of the seven-story store gutted by fire shortly before Christmas Day last year.

But Magno said DMDP does not discriminate against applicants, so that the hired workers were not exclusively former Gaisano employees.

The employers that DMDP contacted were mostly in sales such as the Gaisano Group, Gaisano Metro, SM, Rustan’s, Dranix, and Golden Cowrie, among others.

Magno said he wants to conduct a local or barangay jobs fair as early as this Saturday.

But he lamented that the Cebu City Council only approved P80,282 of the P3.5 million his department proposed.

A barangay jobs fair would cost P25,000 to organize, while a “mega” jobs fair would need about P100,000.

Magno personally complained to Councilor Margarita Osmeña, the chairperson of the committee on budget and finance, about the slashing of their proposed budget for maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE).

He also sought the help of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Councilor Sisinio Andales, the chairperson of the committee on labor and development.

The three officials, Magno said, promised to push for the passing of a supplemental budget to augment DMDP's MOOE.

“I don't understand how they (Council) made the budget...but we have to help because the jobs fair is our baby. That's the pride of Cebu City,” said Rama.

Andales, for his part, said he and Councilor Eduardo Rama Jr., made an initial request of P500,000 for the City-funded activities. It still needs the mayor's signature.

Andales is also looking at tapping Rep. Tomas Osmeña for funding augmentation.

“We will find a way to continue DMDP services to the people,” said Andales.

DMDP conducted a total of 44 jobs fairs in 2011, with one held overseas.

Of the 13,319 registered applications, 2,647 workers were hired on the spot.