No Middle East Job Losses Despite Oil Price Drop – Gov’t Says
The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLe)claimed it has not monitored any major retrenchment activity in the Middle East, particularly with respect to the possible retrenchment of overseas Filipino workers due oil prices slump and other political developments in the region.
Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. reported DoLe’s monitoring in a press interview, January 29.
“According to [Labor] Secretary [Rosalinda] Baldoz, the DoLE has not monitored any major retrenchment activity that could possibly affect Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries in the region,” Coloma said.
Coloma said DoLEhas created plans should the daunting Saudi Arabia-Iran conflict result to mass retrenchment of workers in the region.
“DoLE is confident that OFWs will continue to be employed under existing contracts. Even in light of the previously announced policy on ‘Saudization,’ there was no apparent effect on the level of employment of OFWs as they have proved to be highly qualified and competitive,” Coloma also said.
Against a backdrop of falling oil prices and geopolitical conflict in the Middle East, groups and advocates for overseas Filipino workers warned about the possible lay-off in the coming months.
“It is already leading to lay-offs and delayed payments of salaries…. The numbers are not yet alarming, but certainly we all must be prepared for any economic contingency arising from the current oil situation,” OFW advocate Susan “Toots” Ople quoted from the Philippine Daily Inquirer.