More than 6k plus jobs lost in WV – DOLE-6

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

 

Data from the Department of Labor and Employment-Region 6 (DOLE-6) indicated that Western Visayas lost 6,146 jobs as of Oct. 12, 2020 due to the economic effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

This number includes 4,770 employees who were displaced through retrenchment or reduction of workforce, and 1,376 jobs displaced by permanent closures of businesses in the region.

The data is part of DOLE-6’s Job Displacement Report, which is sourced from companies within the region.

DOLE-6 spokesperson Niezel Sabrido told Aksyon Radyo Iloilo on Wednesday that most of these job losses were from accommodation and food service activities, as well as administrative and support service activities.

“Since the pandemic actually started and when various lockdowns were implemented all over Western Visayas and all over the country, a lot of restaurants, a lot of tourism activities were really affected. So there are a lot of employees who were out of jobs from these sectors,” Sabrido said.

She added that the data did not include other workers who were affected by the pandemic.

“Actually, even now, there are still many hotels and restaurants that haven’t opened yet but haven’t retrenched their workers, but they implemented flexible working arrangements where the employees haven’t had income, so they are still affected, and they haven’t been included in our [data of] displaced workers,” she added.

Sabrido also said that the number of job displacements increased as the number of companies reporting losses also rose.

As to complaints received by the DOLE-6, Sabrido said that most of these involved separation pay of displaced workers, which she added they were actively responding to.

“We do receive complaints from workers, and most of their complaints would involve final pay or separation pay from their employers. This is usually what we receive. Our office is open to serve and cater to these particular complaints and their particular workers, and our employees are more than willing to get in contact with their respective employers to speed up the processing of their final pay and address their respective complaints,” she said.

She did not state, however, the rate of increase in complaints as the DOLE-6, according to her, did not have the data due to the current work arrangements.

 

13TH MONTH PAY DEFERMENTS

Sabrido also spoke about suggestions on the postponement or full cancellation of 13th-month pay benefits of remaining employees.

She said that there was no update, but DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello had already met with Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez, as well as representatives from the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (NTIPC) and the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP).

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. already said on Monday during a press briefing that the grant of the 13th month pay remains in effect.

Bello, in a radio interview on Wednesday, however, said that the national government was eyeing aid for companies to provide 13th month pay for their employees.

“There has been no update whether or not it will continue or if there will be any action by the [DOLE]. The latest update is that as of [Oct. 13], the [DOLE] Secretary met with the Secretary of Trade and Industry, as well as the [NTIPC] and the ECOP to discuss the issue relative to the proposal of several parties to defer the payment of the 13^th month pay for the employees, especially for companies that are in distress because of the economic impact of the pandemic,” Sabrido said.

Sabrido added that the DOLE is studying ways of how they can defer the payment of 13th-month pay to employees given that they have been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said she cannot say anything yet because Bello has yet to release any issuance pertaining to the matter.

Presidential Decree No. 851 mandates the payment of 13th month pay to all employees regardless of the nature of their employment, not later than December 24 of each year.