30,000 jobs offered to displaced Hanjin workers

MANILA, Philippines — Around 30,000 jobs were offered to affected workers of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines at a job fair held at the Subic Bay Freeport yesterday.

The job fair attracted 100 employers from contractors involved in the government’s infrastructure program and companies within the freeport.

“Jobseekers in the area, especially workers... affected by this unfortunate circumstance in a shipyard operator are welcome to fill available positions such as carpenters, pipe fitters, steel men, welders, scaffolders, electricians, painters and laborers,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, who graced the event, said.

Vivencio Dizon, Bases Conversion and Development Authority president and chief executive officer, said the job fair is a testament to the government’s resolve to create employment opportunities through the Build Build Build program.

”We hope that the job caravan provided a fresh start to displaced workers of Hanjin. These skilled workers will help ensure the success of the government’s infrastructure program,” Dizon said.

The National Economic and Development Authority said Hanjin’s financial woes would not have a significant effect on exports, but the government is looking at unemployment left in its wake.

Hanjin had more than 15,000 employees at its shipyard in Subic, but some 3,000 workers stand to lose their jobs after the firm declared bankruptcy.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the government’s plan to spend P8 to P9 trillion for infrastructure until 2022 is also seen to create thousands of jobs nationwide.