"Workers want government assistance", 16 October 2022

As retrenchments hit various industries, the labor sector has called on the government to provide assistance to those affected workers.

The call was made in reaction to the statement of the Confederation of Wearable Exporters of the Philippines (CONWEP) that some 9,450 to 10,800 workers in the industry may be laid off.

“By ayuda (assistance), we do not just mean immediate assistance to the thousands of workers who will become jobless in the coming months but institutionalized social protection for the entire labor force. Sa harap ng epidemya ng tanggalan, ayudang sapat para sa lahat ang sagot,” said Dennis Derige, Partido Manggagawa-Cabu spokesperson.

Derige said that CONWEP even painted a grim scenario that up to 27,000 workers or 10% of the total labor force in the apparel and wearable goods sector may be retrenched.

[...] the Sports City group of companies based in Mactan Economic Zone in Lapu-Lapu City retrenched some 4,000 workers or one-fourth of its total workforce allegedly due to reduced orders from its clients.

Sports City supplies to global garment brands Adidas, Under Armour, Saucony, New Balance and Lululemon.

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