Saturday, October 18, 2008 Labor office sets contingency plan for workers
TO MINIMIZE the impact of the global financial crisis on local and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) has laid down its contingency plan to assist the workers.
Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said the plan is a set of interventions for workers who may be displaced due to the current financial turmoil.
"The contingency plan for the overseas employment sector consists of two sets of interventions such as those that shall be provided to OFWs onsite and those that shall be extended to OFWs upon their return to the country," he said.
Under the action plan, the Dole will be assisting affected OFWs in finding employment in other overseas destinations or set up livelihood or business enterprises for those who no longer want to work abroad.
He also relayed that they are speeding up conclusion of the negotiations for the opening of employment opportunities for OFWs in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Guam, France, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Japan.
"OFWs could take advantage of employment opportunities in these countries and thus, offset job losses in labor markets that could be hit adversely by the financial crisis," Roque said.
He added that the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (Polo) in 33 destinations with high concentration of OFWs have been instructed to closely monitor displacements and help affected OFWs for redeployment to new labor markets or repatriation to the Philippines to avail of livelihood assistance.
The labor department's action agenda for the export sector consists of a package of interventions under the adjustment measures program (AMP).
Under this program, Dole regional offices have a regional quick response team (QRT) that would assist local workers.
Roque said affected workers would be assisted in finding local or overseas job or in skills upgrading or retooling and setting up of self-employment projects.
The QRT also provides workers with legal services in claiming unpaid salaries, benefits, and other monetary claims. It also assists companies in adopting contingency measures in a bid to prevent or minimize job losses. (FP/Sunnex)
