Lawmaker urges GMA to convene labor summit

The government should convene a labor summit to address the worsening unemployment, both here and abroad, owing to the global financial crisis, a senior lawmaker proposed yesterday.

Valenzuela Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo I, chairman of the House committee on labor, said the summit could tackle ways on how the government could help mitigate the local effect of the recession, which is expected to hit the domestic market.

“I am asking President Arroyo to call a labor summit (government, labor, business) to draw up a concerted effort to mitigate the effects of the crisis and prepare for the upswing period at the end of this crisis,” he suggested.

According to Gunigundo, the “most vulnerable” is the export sector for the US market. “But not all sectors will be affected.” The labor summit should be participated in by both the government and business sectors to map out plans for the displaced workers here and abroad.

Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros, called on the government to release an unemployment package for retrenched overseas Filipino workers in the amount of P50,000 each.

“What is important is to provide urgent relief to those who have suddenly lost their jobs because of the crisis. We urge the government to release P50,000 for each retrenched migrant worker,” she said.