Laid off MEPZ workers slated for skills training

CEBU, Philippines —   Several retrenched workers of Mactan Export Processing Zone are now scheduled to undergo a skills training of the Department of Labor and Employment.

This is in coordination with Lapu-Lapu City’s Livelihood Training Center and the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority.

Around 26 affected workers are scheduled to undergo the training on November 3, 2020.

DOLE-7 regional director Salome O. Siaton said that this is now the result of the DOLE’s Employment Facilitation Program whereby affected workers are referred to various services depending on their interest.

Siaton said that equipping these workers with new skills is necessary so that they will be able to cope with the needs of the changing times thereby making them ready and able in the so-called new normal.

Apart from its Employment Facilitation Program, the DOLE also ensures that affected workers who have applied for the issuance of the Certificate of Unemployment (COU) are given due and prompt attention.

As of September 26, 2020, DOLE Tri-City Field Office head Emmanuel Y. Ferrer said that their office has already received and accommodated over 5,000 applications for COU.

The Tri-City Field Office being one of the biggest field offices has jurisdiction over the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu where most of the businesses are highly concentrated.

DOLE-7 added that the bulk of their application which is about 4,000 come from the locally displaced workers.

It said that COUs are issued to workers who were involuntarily displaced from work due to authorized causes such as installation of labor saving devices, redundancy, retrenchment or downsizing, closure or cessation of operation and disease or illness.

Siaton said that COUs are needed for the application of Unemployment Insurance or Involuntary Separation Benefit at the Social Security System.

She further said that with the influx of COU applications received not only by the TCFO but also by the rest of the field offices of DOLE-7, they make sure to facilitate them and start accepting applications online. — GMR (FREEMAN)