MANILA -- The ‘Build, Build, Build’ team, composed of several government agencies involved in the infrastructure program, is set to hold a job fair on February 9 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone to provide employment to displaced workers of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines (HHIC Phil.)
The “Build, Build, Build = Jobs, Jobs, Jobs Caravan" is expected to gather around 70 employers from different contractors involved in the infrastructure program of the government, and will be held at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Gym.
The government is committed to find jobs for displaced Hanjin workers according to SBMA Chairperson and Administrator Wilma Eisma.
“Subic is happy to be part of this project to bring greater positive social impact to our people. We are committed to find every opportunity for the SBMA to make more jobs available and catalyze greater growth in Central Luzon and the rest of the country,” Eisma said in a statement on Wednesday.
At least a thousand jobs will be available at the caravan including vacancies for construction workers, welders, carpenters, engineers, and administrative staff, according to Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has conducted profiling on 2,779 Hanjin workers to address the job-skill mismatch problem.
“Around 65 percent or 1,801 of the 2,779 profiled Hanjin workers are skilled in carpentry, 24 percent or 661 on the other hand have skills in vulcanizing and welding, hence there will be no problem with job-skill mismatch if they work in the construction industry,” DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.
For his part, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar noted that there is higher demand for labor manpower to match the yearly additional budget set by the government for infrastructure projects.
“This is an opportunity for us to aid those who lost or will lose their jobs in Hanjin, and at the same time complement the manpower requirement of the BBB program of the government,” Villar said.
“The ‘Build, Build, Build’ program remains a priority of President Rodrigo Duterte’s government. This program, which is expected to generate thousands, even millions of jobs nationwide will be able to provide options for our displaced workers,” he added.
Meanwhile, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III expressed confidence that many employment opportunities will materialize as government pursues its initiative to transform Clark into a major urban area, which will be an alternative to Metro Manila.
“We believe there are enough jobs available at Clark ecozone alone for the displaced workers of Hanjin Philippines. According to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), a lot of jobs for skilled workers are needed at Clark as it shifts to high gear for its program to transform New Clark City into the country’s first smart and green metropolis,” according to Dominguez.
The Jobs Caravan is spearheaded by the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation, Department of Finance, Department of Budget and Management, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Trade and Industry, Bases Conversion and Development Authority, SBMA, and the Clark Development Corporation.
Jobseekers may already pre-register for the Job Caravan at the SBMA Gym. Pre-registration will be open on January 30 to 31, February 4, and February 6 to 7, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
DOLE has earlier vowed to prioritize the reemployment of displaced Hanjin workers, who will be affected by the company’s rehabilitation.
In a "commencement order" dated Jan. 14, the Olongapo City Regional Trial Court Branch 72 has formally declared the debt-ridden shipbuilding firm under corporate rehabilitation.
Hanjin revealed that it has USD1.3 billion in outstanding loans -- USD 400 million from Philippine banks and USD 900 million from South Korean lenders. (With report from Malou Dungog/PNA)
