DOLE: Number of Philippine workers affected by COVID-19 surpasses 1M

Over a million workers in the county have been affected by the economic standstill brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Department of Labor and Employment reported on Sunday.

Data from the DOLE show a total of 1,049,649 workers were affected, the highest displacement recorded in Metro Manila with 246,810 as of Saturday, April 11.

Central Luzon followed with 179,875; Calabarzon with 99,178; Davao Region with 90,414; Cagayan Region with 75,819; Central Visayas with 51,150; Cordillera Region with 46,614; Northern Mindanao with 46,351; and Bicol Region with 41,322,

Meanwhile, Western Visayas recorded 36,526; MIMAROPA with 30,721; CARAGA  26,981; Eastern Visayas  24,940; Zamboanga Peninsula  24,664; Ilocos Region 17,378; and Soccsksargen  11,536.

"I once again knock in the kind hearts of our employers, especially the conglomerates and big businesses," said Secretary Silvestre Bello III.

"Please extend further your generosity to your employees and workers. Your good-heart and compassion is a great help to the government," he said.

Earlier, the DOLE said that as much as 1.8 million workers in the country could be hit by the global health crisis, citing estimates from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

Most of the affected workers were displaced by the temporary closure of 31,612 establishments, involving 719,649 workers, with another 10,224 enterprises resorting in flexible work arrangements affecting 366,404 workers. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/LBG, GMA News