Marvin Sy
Philstar
President Arroyo announced yesterday that around 5,000 new jobs would be made available to Filipinos in the island resort of Sentosa in Singapore.
Speaking before the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, Mrs. Arroyo said Labor Secretary Marianito Roque was able to get openings in Sentosa for 5,000 jobs.
“We’ve lost 5,000 jobs abroad, but Secretary Roque was able to get openings in Sentosa for 5,000 jobs,” she said.
“So now what we have to take care of are those losing their jobs in our export-oriented industries in the Philippines.”
Mrs. Arroyo expressed optimism that the mega jobs fair to be held nationwide on June 12 would provide plenty of opportunities for the 46,000 Filipinos who have lost their jobs since the global financial crisis started.
“I enjoin your Federation, with your 170-member organizations all over the country, to be actively involved in the jobs fairs,” she said.
The Federation has entered into a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Labor and Employment for the reemployment of workers displaced by the global crisis, Mrs. Arroyo said.
During yesterday’s event at the SMX, Teresita Sy-Coson, SM Group of Companies executive, lauded Mrs. Arroyo for her fiscal policies that have insulated the Philippines from the global crisis.
“Everyday bad news confronts us, dampening our spirits,” she said.
“The United States, Japan, China and Europe have banded together to tackle the crisis and the G20 nations have now reached a stimulus package for global recovery.
“The Philippines is relatively better off than these countries. Our growth may have gone slightly down but because of the economic astuteness of our President and the fiscal policies she has implemented, including sound banking policies, we are not as badly affected as two-thirds of the world’s economy.”
Coson urged Federation members to “continue supporting our government by intensifying our investments in the country.”
“We must draw our strength in numbers and pool our efforts and resources together so we will make a difference,” she said.
Sentosa island is one of the main attractions in Singapore as it hosts an integrated resort and theme park.
Resorts World at Sentosa Private Ltd., which operates the integrated resort, has announced that it would be hiring around 20,000 people by the middle of the year.
The exports sector was the hardest hit by the global financial crisis as worldwide demand for consumer goods drastically went down.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=455110&publicationSubCategoryId=205
5,000 jobs available in Singapore
Joyce Pangco Pañares
Manila Standard Today
President Arroyo said some 5,000 new jobs will be available for Filipinos in Singapore with the expansion of the Resort World at Sentosa Island.
Mrs. Arroyo said the country has sent a delegation to Singapore last month to explore possible job opportunities for migrant Filipino workers in the face of a global economic crisis.
Administrator Jennifer Manalili of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration said she went to Singapore last month with Labor Secretary Marianito Roque to discuss available slots for Filipino workers with Resorts World chief executive Tan Hee Teck.
“They are expanding and there will be openings for workers for hotels, casinos and performers,” Manalili said.
“Universal Studios will also have a theme park so they told us they want to hire Filipino talents and performers. They noted that Filipinos are good in music and in dance so they might come here to conduct auditions either next month or in June,” she added.
Manalili said the government will send a team again in early May to “finalize discussions and requirements for Filipino workers.”
Resorts World plans to open four of its six hotels by the first quarter of 2010 and expects to fill up some 10,000 job vacancies.
Of these available positions, 3,000 will be for the casino, 3,000 for theme park operations and about 4,000 for hotel and other entertainment facilities.
About 46,000 Filipinos working in the country have been adversely affected by the global crisis while some 5,700 migrant workers were laid off.
Earlier, Roque said more than 100,000 jobs are also available in Qatar while other emirates within the United Arab Emirates are also prepared to absorb Filipino construction workers who were laid off in Dubai.
The public and private sectors are also prepared to provide close to one million domestic jobs, of which about 700,000 will come from the government and 120,000 from the business process outsourcing sector.
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=politics4_april4_2009