5,000 Metro workers lose jobs after 'Ondoy'

MANILA, Philippines - At least 5,000 workers face unemployment after typhoon “Ondoy” forced several factories in Metro Manila and nearby provinces to close down, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) reported yesterday.

TUCP, the country’s largest trade union, said workers from Indophil Textile Co. in Bulacan and MY San Biscuits in Cainta, Rizal will temporarily lose their jobs as their employers rush to repair their flood-damaged equipment.

“The workers of these factories will stop working and will not be getting their pay for at least a month because the companies need to undertake major repair of their machines and other equipment,” TUCP spokesman Alex Aguilar said, noting that Indophil employs 2,500 workers while MY San employs around 300 workers.

Aside from those facing temporary displacement, Aguilar said another 2,000 TUCP union members also lost their homes as a result of typhoon Ondoy.

“We are only reporting about TUCP members, so you could just imagine how many workers were severely affected by Ondoy,” he said.

According to Aguilar, TUCP has been extending aid and relief goods to typhoon-affected TUCP members and residents of a community in Marikina.

“We are distributing relief goods and conducting medical mission, but we can only do so much,” he said.

Earlier, the Department of Labor and Employment called on employers in Metro Manila to adopt alternative measures, including flexible working arrangements, to prevent displacement.