Manila helps jobless find work

Manila helps jobless find work

MANILA (DPA): The administration of President Joseph Estrada vowed on Sunday to help laid off workers to find emergency employment amid sluggish business activity triggered by the more than one-year Asian financial crisis.

Labor secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said his department's emergency employment program would help retrenched workers ride out the financial crisis, while a high-level conference scheduled for later this month aims to prevent more layoffs.

Under the program, the Department of Labor and Employment will shoulder 60 percent of the workers' minimum wage while the remaining 40 percent will be paid by the local government units and non-governmental organizations, including religious groups.

Projects covered by the program include repair and maintenance of schoolrooms, drainage and waterwork systems, health and daycare centers, roads, bridges and irrigation networks, and reforestation, cleanliness and beautification programs.