At least 30,000 workers are expected to lose their jobs this month due to business disruptions caused by the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
This after the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported that the number of displaced workers as of Aug. has now reached 22,914.
“We may reach the 30,000 level though at the end of this month,” Labor assistant secretary Dominique Tutay told BusinessMirror in Viber message.
She noted the displacement figures could breach the 50,000 mark by the end of Aug. if the government will be implementing additional enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) or modified ECQ (MECQ) in the coming days.
Slower increase
The weekly displacement figures from July 13 to Aug. 3, 2020 only ranged from 6,041 to 9,507.
However, this soared to 15,747 on Aug. 10, 2020 because of the declaration of MECQ in the National Capital Region (NCR), Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal as well as the mass retrenchment from ABS-CBN Corporation.
The number of weekly displacement dropped again to just 6,780 by Aug. 17, 2020.
With the addition of its latest figures, DOLE said there are now 164,485 workers, who were displaced by 8,325 establishments nationwide since Jan.
Of which, 149.219 were retrenched by 7,469 companies, while the remaining 15,266 lost their jobs because of the permanent closure of 865 establishments.
Differing figures
DOLE’s displacement figures is significantly lower compared to the latest figures from Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Social Weather Station (SWS) surveys.
As of April, PSA registered 7.43 million unemployed workers, while SWS’ latest survey estimated there were 27.3 million jobless adults as of July.
Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III earlier explained that their displacement figures is merely based on the submitted reports of establishments.
As for PSA and SWS, he said, while both rely on surveys for their data, they each measure different things.
“A job refers to the type of work that a person does while employment refers to a person with a job,” Bello explained.
“Also, the sample population, age, reference period of the survey, and criteria used to define unemployed are factors that account for the difference between the PSA and SWS data,” he added.
Expected trend
But regardless of which data is used, DOLE and even Malacañang it was undeniable that the number of workers, who lost their jobs for 2020, was higher compared in previous years.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque they already anticipated the trend especially after the government implemented large scale lockdowns since March in attempts to contain Covid-19 infections.
In fact, he said was “surprised” that only 45 percent of the country’s workforce lost their jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It could have been worse because of the complete lockdown, which happened,” Roque said.
Roque said the government is trying to address the mass displacement by providing financial support to small and medium enterprises and providing emergency employment to affected workers.
Self-congratulations
Labor groups were appalled by Roque’s latest remark, which they claimed aims to downplay the government’s lack of response to arrest the surge in the number of unemployed workers.
“What we hear from Roque is the constant self-congratulations for the bare minimum, and deafening silence, in words and in action, on actually helping our fellow Filipinos,” Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (Sentro) secretary general Joshua Mata said in a statement.
Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) ” BMP President Luke Espiritu was also equally disgusted by Roque’s pronouncement, which he said was an insult to workers.
“By expressing his delight that the unemployment rate did not reach 100 percent and by further asserting that this was due to our supposed resilience, Mr. Roque deeply insulted the 27.3 million unemployed Filipinos who are currently at a loss on how they are going to survive the foreseeable future. His toxic positivity is stupid and revolting,” Espirutu said in a separate statement.
Unimplemented plan
Labor coalition Nagkaisa and militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) also slammed the government for its apparent lack additional interventions for displaced workers after its financial assistance program from May to June.
Nagkaisa said currently the government has yet to implement any recovery plan, which should include providing new jobs to the affected workers.
“We seek for an elaborate employment program, which include a massive public employment programs aimed not only at saving a dying economy but also at providing guaranteed jobs and income to millions of Filipinos who are sinking deeper into poverty.” Nagkaisa said.
As early as May, DOLE already revealed its recovery plan, which includes providing employment opportunities for the unemployed and a wage subsidy for companies.
However, DOLE is currently, waiting for the passage of the Bayanihan II bill, which will grant it the needed budget for the implementation of the said plan.