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Monday, November 22, 2004
13T Central Visayas workers lost jobs in '04
By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez
CEBU CITY -- Over 40,000 workers were employed in Central Visayas during the first 10 months of this year but about 13,000 also lost their jobs during permanent and temporary shutdowns of 465 establishments.
But Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) 7 records show that the retrenched workers only represent 9.6 percent of the 137,657 workers employed by companies that were forced to lay off employees due to economic difficulties.
Maria Flordeliza Duremdes, economist III of Dole 7, said the lack of market for products and the redundancy of jobs were the reasons for the closure of some establishments and the layoffs.
Last year's records show there were about 3,000 more workers who lost their jobs during the same period this year.
In 2003, a total of 20,763 of workers were affected when companies temporarily or permanently closed.
Of the number, only 5,950 were either fired or displaced when some 88 companies ceased operations.
In contrast, at least 13,204 workers lost their jobs either temporarily or permanently, as their employers hit hard times.
For the first 10 months of this year, 779 workers were displaced when 52 companies had a permanent shutdown.
At least 507 others were affected when 44 establishments had a temporary shutdown.
Some 844 employees were laid off from 262 establishments while 55 companies temporarily terminated the contracts of services of 1,912 workers.
Dole 7 Director Rodolfo Sabulao, however, is optimistic that with Bangko Sentral's projection of improvements in the economy, specifically in the region's gross domestic product, the number of displaced workers will be less this year compared to 2003.
Sabulao added that placement figures will even increase.
In 2003, a total of 45,064 workers were employed and the figures already reached 42,350 as of October this year.
"We will surpass that (last year's records)," said Sabulao, who had said earlier that Dole 7 is addressing the region's unemployment problems with continuing job fairs and job matching activities.
Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) President Robert Go shared Sabulao's optimism but urged the labor sector not to push for increases in the minimum wage if they want more jobs to come in.
"We are recuperating. We won't be as bad as before," he said, adding that with the effect of import liberalization on small and medium enterprises (SMEs), they have shifted their priorities in the services sector and in tourism, where the English-proficient labor force has an edge.
"Let us not be worried. Let us change our mindset by establishing more opportunities," he added.
However, Alliance of Progressive Labor-Visayas Chairman Jose Tomongha said that unless the government puts up safety nets to protect the workers, retrenchment of workers will continue.
"The government must come up with programs for the good of the workers. If not, it's just like (President) Gloria (Arroyo) was dreaming when she delivered her State of the Nation Address. It's not attainable (to generate 6 to 10 million jobs in the next six years)," he said.
However, records at Dole 7's employment promotions division show there are a total of 67,895 job vacancies, while the region has 392,000 jobless persons.
Also, some retrenched workers may still have the chance of being rehired since the temporary closure of some companies, mostly those in manufacturing, usually last up to three months or while they wait for the arrival of raw materials, said Maria Flordeliza Duremdes, economist III of Dole 7.
Workers are also sometimes transferred to the main offices or the others, to some branches of the company.
(November 22, 2004 issue)
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