Duterte admin to hold job caravan in Subic on February 9

MANILA, Philippines — The government will hold a job caravan in Subic next month to help the workers affected by the bankruptcy of the Philippine unit of South Korean shipbuilder Hanjin.

Anna Mae Lamentillo, chair of the committee that oversees the government's "Build Build Build" infrastructure program, said about 17,000 jobs are up for grabs during the job caravan on February 9 at the Subic Gymnasium. 

"The jobs caravan is the government’s immediate response for the would-be affected workers of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines," Lamentillo said in a press briefing in Malacañang.

"We expect that the Jobs, Jobs, Jobs Caravan will be able to provide jobs to the displaced workers," she added. 

Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines declared bankruptcy after failing to pay over $400 million in bank loans.

Citing Labor department data, Lamentillo said the number of Hanjin workers has decreased to 3,745 to 17,307 in March 2018. She said 65 percent or 1,801 of the displaced workers are carpenters while 24 percent or 661 are welders. A total of 180 affected workers or six percent have computer skills. 

"The profiling is ongoing and we are also conducting pre-registration now for all the affected employees. But we’d also like to invite the public to participate in the Jobs, Jobs, Jobs Caravan," Lamentillo said. 

The departments of finance, budget, public works, transportation, trade and defense, National Economic and Development Authority, Bases Conversion Development Authority and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority will participate in the job fair.