Displaced workers nearly 2.5 million: DOLE

May 12, 2020

Nearly 2.5 million formal sector workers have been displaced by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the  imposition of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ),  the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Tuesday.

The latest Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) data said there are 2,498,441 formal sector workers from 93,621 establishments nationwide affected by the crisis.

"As of 08 May 2020, about 78 percent or 73,065 (with 1,668,082 workers) of which were temporarily closed," said Assistant Labor Secretary Dominique Tutay.

"The remaining 22 percent or 20,556 establishments (with 830,359 employees) adopted flexible work arrangements," she added.

Majority of the affected business establishments are in the National Capital Region with 17,731 firms.

 Davao Region is next with 10,134; and Northern Mindanao with 9,591.

Among workers affected, NCR  had the most number with 894,905.

Central Luzon has 293,383 affected workers; and Davao Region with 205,063.

BLE data shows that majority of the affected establishments are under wholesale and retail trade (23 percent or 20,457).

Also greatly affected are accommodation and food service activities (20 percent or 17,395). DMS