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1,423 OFWs in four countries have lost jobs due to economic meltdown


MANILA, Philippines - The economic crisis has left more than 1, 423 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in four countries without jobs, data from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) showed. Data collected by GMA News Research from DOLE said the OFWs were displaced from at least four countries as of Friday. Taiwan had the highest reported number of laid-off workers with 1,263 based from the tally of DOLE and the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (Meco), Manila’s de-facto embassy in Taiwan. But the number of OFWs displaced in Taiwan varies depending on which government agency or non-government organization (NGO) is monitoring the repatriation. Hope Workers' Center, a Taiwan-based NGO focused on the welfare of OFWs there, reported that 2,048 OFWs have been displaced as of Dec. 5, 2008. The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) had a lower tally of 946 Filipinos retrenched from their jobs in Taiwan. Meanwhile, a total of 75 Filipinos were laid off in Australia’s shipbuilding industry. Of this number, 50 returned to the Philippines, 15 are still looking for jobs in Australia, while seven have been hired for different jobs. Brunei laid off 69 Filipino garment factory workers, while 16 Filipino linemen from a United Kingdom service telecommunications company were also laid off. The DOLE cited bankruptcy, reduction of workload, and redundancy for the layoffs. Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said the country is willing and able to absorb unemployed OFWs should they return home. While Roque admitted that the workers were hit by the crisis since they were employed in the export industry, he allayed fears that a massive layoff would be the trend in other countries. "We have not seen an abnormal trend. We still process an average of 2,800 contracts for outbound OFWs everyday. Compared to the same period last year, there is clearly an increase in overseas deployment," Roque said in a radio interview. Since various economies started feeling the brunt of the financial crisis in the middle of the year, fears arose that more than a million OFWs would lose their jobs. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered the DOLE in October to prepare a contingency plan to help local and OFWs who might lose their jobs due to the global financial crisis. The contingency plan for the overseas employment sector includes two sets of interventions such as assisting affected OFWs find employment in other overseas destinations or set up livelihood or business enterprises for those who no longer want to work abroad. A fund from the livelihood program will also be set aside for displaced OFWs, according to the DOLE. Echoing the predictions of some economic experts, Manalili said the real face of the crisis would be seen only next year when the financial meltdown would peak. - Mark Joseph Ubalde, GMANews.TV
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