Nine businesses shuttered in second quarter of FY25 

Nine businesses informed the CNMI Department of Labor that they are closing or have closed in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025, according to Secretary of Labor Leila Staffler.

Staffler told Marianas Press that some business closures were discovered after the fact when DOL conducted outreach. Staffler noted that one business informed them of a reduction in force and reduction in hours in the same time period.

For comparison, Staffler said there were eight closures and one report of reduction in hours in the first quarter of fiscal year 2025.

The department started collecting this data through an online form this year and has numbers dating back to 2020.  According to a CNMI business closure data summary provided by Staffler, seven businesses closed in the calendar year 2020, five shuttered in 2021, 11 closures were reported in 2022, 24 closures in 2023, and another 24 in 2024. 

The secretary told Marianas Press that CNMI DOL is not able to disclose the names of the businesses.

The news of business closures comes amid major businesses expected to close their doors this week on April 30, 2025 -– DFS and Regal Cinemas. 

Story by Thomas Manglona II