OZAMIZ CITY—The solution to the economic crisis already being experienced by Filipinos is the main concern of the recently convened meeting called for by the Ozamiz City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc. (OCCIFI), the Provincial Government and the Dept. of Trade and Industry (DTI).
The whole day event gathered together technical and experts from the DTI, DOLE, TESDA, DepEd, NFA, DAR, CPDOs, Philhealth, SSS, LBP and the BIR to share their expectations at the summit on the global economic crisis.
Former councilor and mediaman Gregorio Libor Jr., who acted as information officer of the event to the local media, said that the summit tackled and looked at the urgency for changes and tighter common systems and regulation in addressing the financial crunch.
Libor added that the representatives and experts invited to talk on the summit offered possibilities and movements on emergencies and bailouts by helping launch what he called a framework for cushioning the impact of the crisis.
Dubbed the Provincial Economic Summit, the said gathering is for the benefit of the Misamisnons while addressing the fiscal crisis which might take place in the province in the coming months, added Elvira Tan, Philippine Chamber regional governor for Northern Mindanao.
Tan, in an earlier conversation with Panguil bay monitor last July has already said that the global crisis is for real, as she mentioned that even in Manila and in several economic zones located in Northern Philippine regions, manufacturers who employed hundred or thousands of Filipinos have started to feel the effect of the crisis and were laying off their employees.
“Na feel na gyod nila because a lot of them are even closing,” she said.
A report from the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) has stated that as many as 200,000 Pinoy workers throughout the country may be retrenched from their jobs.
The NEDA likewise revealed that about seven out of every 100 Filipinos, aged between 15 and 55, who want to have gainful employment, may fail to find a job.
In the face of the growing unemployment, Tan said the Ozamiznon can do his or her share by doing some cost-cutting measures.
“Magtoon ta og save. Kung kusog ka mo-load sa imong cellphone para sa call og text, minusi gamay. Kung mosakay ta, mag-carpool na lang kaysa mag-tagsa-tagsa. Kung mahilig ta mag-lunch outside pwede man magbalon na lang ta. Let us also learn to save energy, atoang minusan ang oras sa paggamit sa atong aircon,” Tan said.
“Together we can do something to arrest this problem. Kung dili pa man gani kaayo nato makita ang krisis karon sa atong lugar pero later ang cascading effect ma-feel ra ni nato,” she added.
‘Atoang i-condition ang atong kaugalingon even though naanad na ta sa kalisod. Matabang ra ni tanan if we only change our lifestyles. Ang gobyerno daghan man og programs to cushion the situation. We will monitor that theses programs will come to the provinces and people will see and feel that the government is doing something for them,” Tan stressed.
We, people can be part of the solution also,” she concluded.