The DOLE statistics

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

After the head of the department, Secretary Arturo Brion, came out openly protesting against the passage of the law that would require an increase in pay of P125 for workers, the Department of Labor and Employment released figures intended to explain why the office has taken such a stand. In its report, the DOLE said that almost 2,000 businesses had closed down in 2006. This, despite the glowing statements from other officials that we are now progressing, that we never had it so good, economically, and that poverty may become a thing of the past in this country soon.

The DOLE underscored in its statistics that the closures were caused by economic problems, high cost of raw materials, and the lack of markets to absorb production. Although the report also admitted that most of the closures took place in Metro Manila, they also affected people in the provinces because many families there are also supported, fully or partially, by breadwinners who are working in any of the cities in Metro Manila.

Naturally, such closures meant that employees are left jobless and without sources of income to share with dependents. The Labor department also gave alarming figures showing that from January to June alone last year, 27,935 workers got displaced and have joined the ranks of the millions of unemployed. Fears have been expressed that the 2006 totals may exceed the 57,800 recorded in 2005.

It is not unlikely that the DOLE has released these statistics as a form of justification for its resistance to the legislated wage hike that is being eagerly awaited by workers. It could also be taken in the context that this has been done to make us all view this realistically as it might also turn out to be like the medicine that is worse than the cure.*