Joel Gonzales, DOLE-Bicol regional director (PNA file photo)
LEGAZPI CITY – To cushion the impact of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic on the labor force, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Bicol has spent PHP411 million worth of financial assistance to some 84,400 beneficiaries under the agency’s different programs.
Joel Gonzales, DOLE regional director, said Wednesday the agency implemented programs under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa ating Displaced/Disadvantaged Workers Programs #Barangay Ko, Bahay ko (TUPAD #BKBK), Covid-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) and Assistance to Displaced Landbased and Sea-based Filipino workers known as DOLE-AKAP.
DOLE-Bicol has recorded a total of 612 displaced private employees working in 51 commercial establishments who were forced to either close or stop operation.
But Gonzales said the job layoffs in Bicol did not in any way dent the labor market in the region as the number recorded as of June 21 is only equivalent to .2 percent of the 2.1 million labor force in Bicol.
“DOLE data showed job displacement was notably high in Albay with 387 workers, followed by Catanduanes with 124, Camarines Sur with 57, Camarines Norte-26, Masbate-12 and Sorsogon with only six,” he said in an interview.
Of this figure, 371 (60 percent) workers were retrenched, 189 (30 percent) were displaced due to resignation, retirement, project completion and end of contract, while 52 workers were laid off due to permanent closure of the establishment.
The top five industries affected by the pandemic include Administrative with 154 workers employed in 15 establishments; Financial-131 workers in 10 establishments; Accommodation-107 workers in seven establishments; 108 workers in Wholesale; 108 workers in other establishments and four workers in Human Health services.
Gonzales, quoting a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) study, said, “The job displacement in Bicol represents only a tiny figure (.2 percent) and has no impact on the existing labor force in the region but we have to learn something from it and make the necessary interventions.”
Citing data from the agency's Bureau of Local Employment Office, Gonzales said from January to June this year, a total of 90,215 workers nationwide lost their jobs after 3,189 establishments closed because of the pandemic.
“If we compare Bicol job displacements rate with other regions, we ranked 12 among the 16 regions in terms of establishments affected and the number of job cuts – this is only minuscule, .58 percent from the 90,125 workers that were laid off nationwide,” he said. (PNA)
