100K workers 'affected' by cancellation of flood control contractors’ licenses

Around 100,000 workers in the construction industry are affected by the revocation of the licenses of several contractors linked to the flood control mess. 

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, sponsor of the proposed 2026 budget of the Department of Labor and Employment, said this Thursday evening when asked by Sen. Risa Hontiveros about the “skilled and semi-skilled workers” affected by the country’s massive flood control corruption scandal. 

Citing estimated data from DOLE, Gatchalian said some 100,000 workers are affected by the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB)’s cancellation of flood control contractors’ licenses. 

“Marami-rami rin (That’s a lot),” he commented. 

This means, Hontiveros pointed out, the families of these displaced workers are in need of “urgent and longer-term assistance.” 

In October, the Department of Trade and Industry said PCAB is in its final stages of revoking the licenses of the top 15 flood control project contractors named by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. 

More job market 'disruptions'

The construction industry, Gatchalian admitted, is suffering from a “slowdown.” 

“Ini-expect natin na maraming disruption sa labor market this coming few months because of this issue,” he added. 

(We are expecting a lot of disruptions in the labor market this coming few months because of this issue.) 

Earlier in the Senate budget deliberations, Gatchalian also took note of an observed slowdown in economic growth amid the flood control mess. 

This, he said, “will also translate into more jobs that will be lost in the next few months if the decline in the construction industry continues.” 

But Gatchalian said DOLE is already undertaking steps to “rechannel construction workers working in the government.” 

“Baka meron na available na trabaho sa private sector kasi ang construction in the private sector, hindi naman affected. Tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang growth in the private sector,” he noted. 

(There might be available jobs in the private sector because construction in the private sector is not affected. There’s continuous growth in the private sector.) 

Gatchalian said DOLE is providing temporary employment assistance to the displaced workers. 

“Marami sa mga construction worker, hindi regular employees. Marami rito mga contractual employees, so meron silang temporary work assistance. And then, meron din silang convergence program with TESDA insofar as reskilling and upskilling.” 

(Many construction workers are not regular employees. Many of them are contractual employees so they have temporary work assistance. And they also have a convergence program with TESDA insofar as reskilling and upskilling.) 

DOLE, according to Gatchalian, is also boosting its job search program.—AOL, GMA Integrated News