Kenney sees no job cuts by US firms in RP

ZAMBOANGA CITY – US Ambassador Kristie Kenney is optimistic that American investors will not cut their labor force in the Philippines amid recession in the US economy which has forced several businesses to reduce their work force.

At the same time, she assured the public that projects to be implemented by her government would not be affected.

Kenney made the assurances as she led the groundbreaking of the $310,000 birthing center in Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC) here yesterday.

Kenney noted that US investment in the Philippines remained strong.

“Investments here are very good, very solid. In fact, a lot of companies tell me the Filipino workers make more advantages to be here,” she said.

Kenney disclosed that a Texas instrument firm will formally inaugurate a billion-dollar investment on Jan. 19, a day before president-elect Sen. Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th US president.

“So we got a lot of things that I expect would continue. Lot of opportunities here – the companies who are here are happy, appreciate the great quality of work they get right in the Philippines, and find it a very profitable and smart place to do business,” Kenney said.

Apprehensions rose after the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) predicted that some 50,000 Filipino overseas workers might be affected by the US-led global financial turmoil.

President Arroyo has instructed the DOLE to draw up contingency plans and mitigation measures to cushion the impact of the cut in labor abroad.

“This erases doubts. So far we are implementing our projects not only here but also anywhere else. We expect our projects to go forward exactly as they are,” Kenney said.

She added that they were careful not to make pronouncements before the inauguration of president-elect Obama on Jan. 20, 2009.

But Kenney said they expect their multi-million dollar projects to continue, citing that Obama was a member of the US Senate foreign relations committee.

“It includes the military aspect relationship to continue as it is,” Kenney said.

She said the presence of their military will continue based on the adopted and agreed policy, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines will suggest whether they need more or less troops on a temporary basis.

Col. William Coultrup, chief of the US Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P), said they are not aware of any reduction of their forces’ presence in the country when asked if plans of president-elect Obama will also affect the number of military personnel here.

Coultrup said the reinforcement in Afghanistan would not be an overall pullout of American forces elsewhere in the world, citing a case-to-case consideration for every location.