A newly-institutionalized task force (TF) will pursue the approval of a P24-billion wage subsidy program for private sector workers and save or create a million jobs.
“The P24-billion safety net program can help retain as many as one million workers. Aimed at saving jobs and promoting employee retention, the program would provide workers with a monthly subsidy of P8,000 for up to three months,” said Ramon Lopez, secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry which chairs the National Employment Recovery Strategy (NERS) TF.
President Duterte signed Monday Executive Order (EO) No. 140 officially adopting the NERS as the government’s master plan for the restoration of the country’s labor market. The EO institutionalizes the 20-agency strong NERS TF, charging it to implement the strategy from 2021 to 2022, in response to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The NERS 2021-2022 is an employment recovery plan anchored on the Updated Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 and ReCharge.PH expanding the Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan initiative in consideration of the changes in the labor market brought by pandemic and the accelerated adoption of new technologies.
Lopez said the TF will also push for the passage of legislations and policies that strengthen economic and employment recovery.
In a statement, TF co-chair Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said it has partnered with leading business groups in a bid to create one million jobs this year under NERS.
“This project synchronizes with safe and gradual reopening the economy and addresses the impact of the prolonged community quarantine,” said DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III.
The NERS TF was first organized in February 2021.
EO 140 is expected to strengthen the NERS Task Force’s implementation of its 8-Point Employment Recovery Agenda. First unveiled to the public during the TGER-NERS Job Summit, the P1.14-trillion plan is expected to generate at least 220,000 jobs and assist over 1.4 million Filipinos struggling with unemployment and income losses.
To achieve the 1 million-job target, the business/employers sector shall primarily identify job vacancies from its member companies and find jobs for the qualified but unemployed jobseekers.
The government sector will provide a profile of workers, who can be referred to existing job vacancies; will secure vaccination for workers; provide transportation services to workers, who will get their vaccination jabs, and organize job caravans. (Irma Isip and Gerard Naval)
