400k jobs will open as construction industry commits to 'manualize' work —Bello

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Wednesday said around 400,000 construction jobs will be available as industry leaders agreed to "manualize" rather than mechanize its operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a press conference, Bello said the construction industry will be revived due to the full implementation of the administration's Build, Build, Build Program.

“This will revive the construction industry and we hope to generate not less than 400,000 working opportunities. Kausap namin dito 'yung mga leaders ng construction industry,” he said.

“They committed to us, not only they will hire construction workers, they will see to it ma-maximize 'yung availability of work by manualizing 'yung work rather than mechanizing the work,” he said.

Due to the impact of the pandemic, some businesses closed and some workers were laid off from their jobs.

Bello earlier said that more than 3,000 businesses have informed the Department of Labor and Employment that they would be closing down their operations temporarily amid the COVID-19 crisis.

According to him, while no firm in the country has so far filed for bankruptcy, more than 200 have already notified that they would be permanently closing down.

Bello reiterated that there are already around 2.7 million workers whose livelihood was affected due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

Philippine Statistics Authority data showed that 7.3 million were left jobless in April as a result of the economic impact of COVID-19, but Bello said this was only based on surveys and not on actual reports. —KBK, GMA News

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/economy/741316/unemployment-soared-record-high-with-7-3m-jobless-last-april-psa/story/