DOLE hold order on OECs imperils iPhone X production?

People try out the new iPhone X during a media event at Apple’s new headquarters in Cupertino, California on September 12, 2017. (AFP FILE PHOTO)

The production of Apple’s latest iPhone X could be disrupted as the Filipino workers set to assemble the smartphone are held back in the Philippines with the recent Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) order, suspending the issuance of overseas employment certificates (OEC), a recruitment expert said on Friday.

Jackson Gan, former president of Pilipino Manpower Agencies Accredited to Taiwan (Pilmat), said about 5,000 workers bound for Taiwan factories manufacturing the iPhone X would not be able to leave the country in time for its production for Christmas and Chinese New Year because of the DOLE directive.

“Foxconn is the subcontractor for iPhone X. There are at least 50 suppliers/factories in Taiwan upstream and downstream rushing the production for Christmas and Chinese New year,” Gan said in a statement.

Last week, DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III announced that he had ordered the suspension of the OECs to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) amid persistent reports of illegal recruitment and corruption in the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA). The order shall take effect from November 13 to December 1.

The order exempts OFWs on leave, international organizations or embassies, seafarers, and government-hired workers.

Recruitment consultant and migration expert Manny Geslani said the order could affect 75,000 workers scheduled for departure this Christmas season and cost recruitment agencies at least P132 million for rebooking the flights of 50,000 workers alone.

READ: Halt in OEC processing is P132M economic loss to recruitment sector—expert

/kga