Because of the downturn of the economy, Intel Corp. shut a service and Texas Instruments announced a number of lay-offs. There’s a possibility that more than 60,000 jobs could be lost in the Philippines' key electronics sector.

Intel was known as the world's biggest computer chip maker. Plans were announced last Wednesday to close plants in Malaysia, Philippines, and United States, which resulted to the loss of 1,800 occupations in its assembly test facility in the province of Cavite. Another big US player in the sector, Texas Instruments told the government last month that 400 employees will be laid off from its semiconductor factory in a town of Baguio due to the global economic disaster.

Because of the closure of its facility, Intel Philippines explained that the crash of the economic slump on our business was crueler than we anticipated and the outlook is vague. From a company’s statement, a dismissal package and various transition services will be offered to the laid-off workers. According to its website, Intel was once one of the major exporters in the Philippines and one of the first to set up semiconductor industrialized facilities here 35 years ago, providing about billion dollars over that time. From a television interview of ABS-CBN to the Labor Secretary Marianito Roque, the semiconductor business is already getting slap and the changes were observed as early as three months ago. Soon the Philippines will be hit in the first semester of this year.  He added that the government is now giving counselling and retraining services to about 60,000 employees that could be affected all over the country. The labour department pays attention not only with the cutback but on the turn down of work shifts, reduction of working hours, and shortening of the work week. These are the two particular parts that can be affected by the worldwide economic crisis. Company which hires 19,000 people now reduced shifts or working hours. Almost 70 percent of the Philippines' exports will be needed in electronics sector and will employ 480,000 workers.

With this struggle, Roque said that Manila will expect BPO sector to take up some of the slack with a supposed growth in the call centre industry creating up to 130,000 jobs in the current year. Hotel jobs in Bulgaria and manufacturing jobs in Australia are also expected by the Philippine workers.