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.