DSWD, DOF may help extend aid to displaced workers – DOLE

MANILA, Philippines — Some beneficiaries of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) assistance program amid coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis who will not be able to receive due aid may be transferred under the care of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Finance (DOF) instead, Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique Tutay said.

Some beneficiaries of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) assistance program amid coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis who will not be able to due aid may receive the same from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Finance (DOF) instead, Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique Tutay said.

Tutay pointed out that P1.6 billion was allotted for 321,000 workers covered by DOLE’s  COVID Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP).

Meanwhile, nearly P1 billion was allotted for 235,000 workers under their Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Displaced/Disadvantaged Workers Program #Barangay Ko, Bahay Ko Disinfecting/Sanitation Project (TUPAD #BKBK).

Tutay, however, said the labor department has already used up 60 to 70 percent of the funds allotted for the said programs after the enhanced community quarantine imposed in the Luzon region was extended to April 30, 2020.

“Ang pinagu-usapan ngayon sa interagency ay lahat ng di namin matutulungan ay i-transfer po namin for instance yung informal sector ay sa DSWD at yung sa formal sector naman po ay yung pino-propose na programa ng DOF,” Tutay told DZMM on Tuesday.

“Nagkaroon po tayo over the weekend ng transfer or sharing of information based on our database. Lahat ng mga naka-register sa amin na applicants ay nai-share na po namin ito sa DSWD at tsaka sa DOF,” she added.

(Over the weekend, we had transfer or sharing of information based on our database. We shared to the DSWD and the DOF all the applicants registered to us.)

Tutay said that the labor department has extended assistance to 181,000 workers in the formal sector. Another 370,000 workers are likewise set to receive the financial assistance while around 800,000 workers are still under evaluation.

“All of these lists, whether paid or approved, or awaiting payment and yung under processing and evaluation po ay ipinasa namin lahat ng listahan sa DOF at sa DSWD,” Tutay said.

(We passed all all of these lists whether paid or approved or awaiting payment and under processing and evaluation to DOF and DSWD.)

“Hindi ho namin siya ipinapasa but there are decisions na we are just following. I know our Secretary is doing his best to keep sana ang aming mga programa,” Tutay said.

(We are not passing it but there are decisions na we are just following. I know our Secretary is doing his best to keep our programs.)

“But of course it’s interagency decision so we really have to cooperate with the other agencies involved in the task force. There will be transitioning of the assistance that is being provided to both formal and informal sector workers,” she added.

According to DOLE Department Order No. 209, CAMP “shall cover workers in private establishments affected by the COVID-19 pandemic from its onset in January 2020 until the lifting of the Stringent Social Distancing Measures in the National Capital Region on 14 April 2020, unless extended by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.”

Government employees, however, are not covered by the program.

Meanwhile, under TUPAD #BKBK, a beneficiary “works for a 10-day disinfection/sanitation of his/her house and its vicinity to be paid pursuant to the prevailing regional daily minimum wage.”

GSG