As 5 MEPZ locators implement retrenchment: 4,000 lose jobs

CEBU, Philippines — Around 4,000 employees at Mactan Export Processing Zone in Lapu-Lapu City have lost their jobs since Monday, September 26, 2022, after a retrenchment took effect in five locators of the zone.

The five companies are Global Wear Manufacturing, Metro Wear, Inc., Feeder Apparel Corporation, Vertex One Apparel Philippines, Inc., and Mactan Apparels, Inc.

  Sometime in 2020, the same companies retrenched 4,400 of their employees.

In his Facebook post yesterday, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan said he is now helping those who recently lost their jobs at MEPZ.

Chan advised retrenched workers to register at the Public Employment Service Office (PESO), submit a resume and monitor their Facebook page of Kim "Mr. Trabaho" Francisco-PESO Lapu-Lapu City for any job openings.

In their official statement, the five MEPZ locators that manufacture clothes see the need to downsize their current manpower through a retrenchment program.

 “As the world is now on the brink of global recession, with higher than expected inflation and the global financial conditions are becoming tighter, our business and that of our customers are not an exemption especially being classified as a non-essential luxury product,” part of their official statement reads.

Chan added that the affected workers were lining up in banks to claim their retrenchment pays which prompted calls for police to conduct visibility patrol in these banks to secure the area.

Lapu-Lapu City PESO head Kim Francisco said their office is also open to those looking for work.

Francisco said this is so far the biggest retrenchment they had after the COVID pandemic, as around 3,000 were retrenched last year.

But looking on the bright side, he said this “downsizing” is only temporary that would probably last from three to six months since the manpower needs of manufacturing companies are seasonal.

 “We stand to this commitment that we kept our promise to give priority on re-employment opportunities to our 2020 displaced workers and unemployed Filipinos wherein we are back to around 18,000 plus total workforce,” MEPZ locators’ statement added.

Francisco added that Chan will again open another job fair for job seekers this coming November 18, dubbed as “Fiesta Job Fair.” – JMD (FREEMAN)