DOLE to release P11.8M for emergency employment in wake of floods

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldo. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz has given the green light for the release of up to P11.85 million for the provision of temporary jobs to displaced workers in the National Capital Region and other places severely affected by Tropical Storm Maring in Central Luzon and Calabarzon.

In the NCR, a total of 5,544 displaced workers and 690 livelihoods that need restoration have been identified as among the beneficiaries of the DOLE’s emergency employment program.

Forty-eight villages (barangay) or districts in the cities of Malabon, Pateros, Marikina, Pasay, Muntinlupa, and Parañaque have been declared under a state of calamity, according to DOLE-NCR.

The DOLE will release P11,850,000 to pay for the wages of workers to carry out rehabilitation work, specifically the clearing, cleaning and unclogging of drainage systems and waterways.

Beneficiaries of livelihood restoration have been allotted a total of P862,500 from the DOLE’s Livelihood Restoration Program (DILP) fund.

Local government units and their respective Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) will provide a 20 percent counterpart amounting to P2,100,000 in the form of tools, equipment, t-shirts, meals and administrative costs.

Baldoz said DOLE aimed to provide displaced workers immediate relief from the calamity by giving them income, and at the same time, enlisting them for the rehabilitation, clearing and cleaning of the affected communities.

“While they help rebuild their community through their services, we wanted them to earn, so they will have something for their families. We understand that apart from rehabilitating the community, they too have to rebuild their lost homes and shattered lives,” she said.

Baldoz noted that DOLE regional directors of Central Luzon (Region 3) and Calabarzon (Region 4-A) have been given instruction to fast-track the profiling of displaced or affected workers, which will determine how many more can be given emergency employment.

Initially, around 4,000 workers from the two regions had been identified as beneficiaries of the emergency employment program.

“The regional offices are still updating their assessment of the effect of the floods on workers and establishments, so the number may still change,” Baldoz said.

The DOLE Regional Office No. 3 reported that Pampanga has so far the highest number of distressed workers at 1,450.

Baldoz also instructed the regional directors to upload the names of the beneficiaries on their website for transparency.

In addition to the emergency employment program, the DOLE regional officers will also conduct job fairs to help workers who were displaced by the floods.

“We will prioritize workers who were victims of the recent calamity,” said Baldoz.