The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said nearly 158,000 workers were displaced from January to July amid the quarantine measures imposed to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

According to the DOLE’s job displacement report released on Monday, the 157,705 displaced workers came from 7,759 establishments nationwide.

A total of 7,993 companies have adopted workforce reduction while 766 establishments have reported permanent closure, the report added.

The National Capital Region (NCR) recorded the highest number of displaced employees at 75,178, including 4,668 workers affected by the 235 establishments that permanently shut down operations.

The DOLE said the majority of affected employees worked under the administrative and support service and manufacturing sectors.

President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire Luzon under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from March 17 to April 30 to prevent the spread of the Covid-19.

The most stringent quarantine measure has prompted many companies to temporarily stop operations due to the absence of mass transportation for their workers.

Upon the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-EID), Duterte downgraded the quarantine measure in many areas in Luzon but Metro Manila and nearby regions were retained under ECQ until May 15.

Metro Manila and nearby provinces were eventually placed under less strict general community quarantine but reverted to modified MECQ on Aug. 4 amid the rise of Covid-19 cases.

The experts recommended extending the MECQ up to a whole month to further contain the coronavirus infections which reached 129,913 as of Sunday (Aug. 9).

Malacañang explained that the economy will not be able to withstand the impact of a longer MECQ in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

The Philippine economy suffered the deepest contraction in 29 years after the economic output shrank 16.5 percent in the second quarter this year. (PNA)