In 2007 and 2008, around 52,000 workers were permanently displaced due to economic shocks (DOLE-BLES). About 213,417 workers were retrenched by 1,836 firms as a result of the global financial crisis, with 58.1 percent (124,006) being placed under flexible work arrangements, 18.1 percent (38,556) temporarily laid off, and 23.8 percent (50,855) permanently terminated.
While the global financial crisis had a minimal impact on the deployment of OFWs, OWWA and POEA data indicated that 6,957 workers in 327 companies lost their jobs mostly from factories in Taiwan and South Korea. Of this number, nearly two-thirds (4,495) returned to the Philippines (See also Chapter 2).