The national government, through the Department of Labor and Employment in Western Visayas, has released P799.84 million in livelihood and cash assistance to workers affected by the health pandemic.
Using funds provided under the Bayanihan I and II, the DOLE extended the assistance under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Displaced/Disadvantaged (Tupad) workers and Covid-19 Adjustment Measures Program (Camp) for workers from the informal and formal sectors.
In collaboration with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, the Tabang OFWs and Abot Kamay Ang Pagtulong (Akap) programs were implemented to aid displaced and repatriated overseas Filipino workers.
DOLE 6 regional director Cyril Ticao, during his briefing on DOLE and OWWA initiatives in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on Tuesday, said that, for Tupad, P369.49 million was released to 84,027 workers.
“This is an emergency employment program designed to mitigate the economic downfall of our brothers and sisters in the informal sector,” he said.
Under the Bayanihan I, about P162 million was released to 41,052 beneficiaries of Tupad and P207 million disbursed under the Bayanihan II for 42,975 beneficiaries.
The emergency employment benefitted 22,037 workers from Negros Occidental, 11,677 in Antique, 11,116 – Aklan, 9,769 – Capiz, 4,000 – Guimaras, and 25,428 from Iloilo.
The DOLE also disbursed P273 million for 54,488 workers under Camp, a program for workers in the formal sector regardless of employment status.
Meantime, a one-time financial assistance of P10,000 each displaced OFW was released to 15,269 beneficiaries, totaling to P152 million. Some P4.35 million was also released to 145 OFW dependents under the Tabang OFW, a one-time tertiary educational assistance for dependents of Covid-19-affected OFWs worth P30,000 each.*PNA
