Bulacan firms lay off workers, shorten workweek

MALOLOS CITY, Philippines - Bulacan-based companies have laid off about 400 workers since December, while some have implemented worker-rotation scheme to save jobs and lessen the impact of the global crisis. Amid these developments, the Labor department in the province has launched programs aimed at creating more jobs and livelihood to unemployed Bulakenyos. Efren Reyes, the Labor department’s provincial director said that Republic Cement factory in Norzagaray town had laid off 68 workers; Four Seasons Apparel in Guiguinto town, 68 and Indo-Phil, a textile company in Marilao town has put 219 under temporary dismissal. "Bahagi yan ng cost-cutting measure nila dahil sa impact ng global crisis," Villanueva said. Also, he noted there are companies that try to save their workers by adopting job-rotation scheme. Some of these firms are Huey Commercial Inc. in Calumpit town, Sun-King Electronics in Malolos City and Manila Luggage in Marilao town. These companies have a total of 209 workers placed on job rotation. Reyes said that through job rotation, workers can still earn, though less compared to the regular salaries they used to get. He added that other companies have opted to reduce their workweek to four days. According to Jeremias Caguingin of the Bulacan Investment Promotion Division of the provincial government, companies that are likely to be badly hit by the global economic crunch are those in the manufacturing sector. He said that service firms, such as those engaged in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) business, are less likely to be affected. Caguingin cited data recently released by the Commission on Information Communication Technology (CICT) showing at least five towns in the province made it to the Top Ten Next Wave Cities in the country for outsourcing. The top-10 are the City of Meycauayan and the towns of Marilao and Baliuag that ranked seventh after Angeles City and Mabalaca in Pampanga, and the City of Malolos and the town of Calumpit which ranked ninth, after Cagayan de Oro. Other cities that made it to the top ten were Metro Laguna (first), Metro Cavite (second), Iloilo (third), Davao (fourth), Bacolod (fifth) and Lipa (tenth). To lessen the impact of job losses the Labor department had launched the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa ating Disadvantaged Workers (Tupad) and the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP). Labor department’s Lauro Villanueva said that the Tupad program aims to provide employment to Bulakenyo out-of-school youths (OSYs), while DILP is expected to provide livelihood. He said that 510 OSYs from the towns of Hagonoy, Marilao, San Ildefonso and San Rafael will benefit from the P9 million released by the Department of Labor and Employment for the Tupad program. For the DILP, he said that 1,782 Bulakenyos were given an average of P5,000 each to start a micro business enterprise for livelihood. - GMANews.TV