GMA announces 5,000 new jobs for Pinoys in Singapore

MANILA, Philippines – 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.  -– Marvin Sy, Philippine Star