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THE Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC) and its MSC Center for Women, Children, and Labor are asking the labor department to give more attention to displaced workers of the Mactan Export Processing Zone.
Fr. Jesus Dumaual said last week that the MSC center, which is made up of six parishes of Lapu-Lapu City, was helping some of the laid off workers from MEPZ firms, who still had not found any jobs to support themselves.
According to the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (Dole 7), thousands of workers in Cebu lost their jobs since 2008 due to the global economic crisis.
According to Dole 7, at least 15 companies shut down and at least four of these firms are from MEPZ.
Dumaual, however, claimed that the displaced workers were not just laid off because of business losses.
He said that there were labor violations committed by the companies leading to the laying off of the workers.
Dumaual cited issues such as contractualization of workers, unjust wages, security of tenure of workers, and on issues on forming labor unions.
Dumaual said these issues had yet to be resolved by the labor department.
The MSC center, which Dumaual manages, gives financial, spiritual and moral support to at least 31 displaced workers of Panphil Sportswear Inc.
However, Dole 7 Assistant Regional Director Exequiel Sarcauga said the agency were giving livelihood programs and emergency employment to laid off workers.
Sarcauga said the programs were even implemented with local government units as partners.
Sarcauga also said that the companies which laid off the workers were able to show proper documents for their closure. Correspondent Carine M. Asutilla
