THE Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) in Negros Oriental confirmed that it has yet to receive any notice of massive retrenchment among the business sector in the province.

Dole provincial director Jose Ogang, however, admitted that there were terminations of job contract every month.

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"The usual we receive are monthly notices of vacancies or termination mostly caused by absence without leave (Awol) or resignation. But retrenchment, or even the compressed or shortened work week scheme, we have not received," he said.

Alex Sy, president of the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce Inc. (FCCC) in Negros Oriental, admitted that some of his members tried to tighten their belt just to save the workers' income.

Sy said their workers have families to feed, adding that few months from now, parents will need money for the enrolment of their children. "But if businessmen will not survive, we have nothing to do except to save our business by retrenching workers."

Councilor Manuel Sagarbarria, president of the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Nocci), said he is confident that Negros Oriental is not so affected by the global financial crisis.

He is also confident that if retrenchment of workers will happen, there are still other opportunities for the workers as there will be opening of business in Dumaguete City.

He cited the giant company, Robinson, which will open its mall this coming September.

Sagarbarria said Robinson's Place needs at least 2,000 workers aside from its consignees.

He told Sun.Star that there are investors eyeing for Dumaguete City and Valencia that may help the residents in the area to get employed.

But the problem, he said, are those overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who do not want to work in the country because of salary consideration.

Ogang, however, assured that Dole will also help them.

He said his office has already extended assistance to three OFWs from Negros Oriental who were displaced from their jobs abroad and had to come home.

The National Government recently assured that the ongoing rationalization in government will not cause job loss among state workers.

Job fair slated

Ogang said Dole is scheduled to hold a job fair in May as part of the Labor Day celebration.

He said the job fair will be sponsored by the Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (TIPC), in coordination with the Public Employment Services Office (Peso).

He said the city will also conduct a medical mission.

The venue of the job fair has not yet been finalized, but Ogang said they are eyeing either Macias Sports Complex or City Central School. (VLC)