'Strike incidents hit new all-time low'

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Labor and Employment has reported that the country’s strike incidence rate decreased to a new all-time low with only four strikes in 2009.

DOLE Secretary Marianito Duque said that of the four work stoppages that occurred, two of these happened in Central Visayas (specifically here in Cebu City) while the other two were in Region IV-A (Calabarzon or Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) and Region XIII (Caraga Administrative Region).

But according to Partido ng Manggagawa spokesman Dennis Derige, there are actually four strikes that happened in Cebu alone.

These were the strikes that occurred at the Giardini del Sole and R and Y Agusti, both in Mandaue City; and Paul Yu and Keppel Shipyard in Lapu-Lapu City.

Keppel is into shipbuilding, Paul Yu Company is into the export of lampshades while the two other companies were engaged in furniture manufacturing.

It can be noted also that of the four strikes that occurred in Cebu last year, none of the firms was situated in Cebu City.

“DOLE normally downplays the number of strikes in order for them to look good. They are conscious of their image. Pa-pogi ra nang ilaha,” Derige told The FREEMAN.

Derige added that one establishment in Bohol also launched a strike. He, however, could not remember the name of the establishment.

Roque said that DOLE, through the National Conciliation and Mediation Board, managed to further bring down the incidence of work stoppages amid the debilitating effects of the global financial crisis resulting in a series of job displacements and the devastation brought about by the recent typhoons.

Roque added that as of December 31, 2009, the country is strike-and-lockout free.

The NCMB docketed 285 notices of strike/lockout in 2009 and efforts of the NCMB to resolve labor disputes resulted in the facilitation of P1.66 billion in monetary benefits for 22,569 workers, the DOLE press statement reads.

Earlier, PM in its 2009 labor situationer reports stated that some 40,000 workers were laid off since October last year and at least 120,000 workers were affected by layoffs, job rotations and wage cuts, majority of whom are in Cebu.

The report further said that big multinational firms based here in the Philippines have shut down in a span of one year and that majority of these are situated in Cebu.

“The global economic crisis and the slowdown in the local economy had a grave impact on the lives and livelihood of workers in the Philippines. Job losses, mainly in the export sector of the economy, are worsening the unemployment and underemployment rate,” PM said. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/MEEV