Trainings set for displaced workers

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Economic Advisory Group (CEAG), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) have come together to rescue the displaced workers by providing them with trainings to make them more flexible in the office and industry jobs.

CEAG, which is purposely created by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) to act as advisory group on how companies and industries will be able to survive amid the global recession, recently released a survey result of which, industry players feared that there will be further contraction of operations in the next few months.

Because of this alarming result, CCCI vice president for external affairs said that CEAG, will conduct a series of seminars to employees of affected companies, so that they will be able to shift jobs whenever necessary.

CEAG, composed of 11 organizations representing a cross-section of the Cebu business sector conducted a Business Pulse Survey with over a thousand respondents, the first of its kind covering Cebu business community.

The result showed that 40 percent of respondents expected a decrease in the overall volume of business activity and 56 percent expected the volume of exports to go down.

While, 48 percent also expected a decrease in the volume of imports, most of the respondents expected no change in terms of capacity utilization, average selling prices of goods and services, workforce, and investment in buildings, equipment, among others.

The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Cebu (JCCI), particularly indicated that Japanese investors are not very optimistic about their prospects for 2009, as 75 percent of the respondents revealed that they expect the over-all outlook of their main business activity to deteriorate.

Because of this, Fruelda said CEAG, will immediately implement a counter-action, to save the possible employees that may be affected by the projected further contraction of business, specifically in the export sector, such as those in furniture, electronics, and other export related industries. — Ehda M. Dagooc (THE FREEMAN)