Initial P10-M cash aid for displaced Cordillera workers

March 22, 2020 Headlines

BAGUIO CITY- An initial P10-M has been allocated by the national government through the Department of Labor and Employment-Cordillera (DOLECAR) for displaced workers in the region caused by the Covid19 fallout.

Regional Director Exequiel Ronie De Guzman of DOLECAR, disclosed during a special press forum (Kapihan) on Thursday (March 19) held at the DOH regional training center here.

De Guzman, who is one of the invited guests, said the amount is a standby fund as cash aid to affected workers in the region.

FORMAL WORKERS

He said a lump-sum cash aid of P5, 000 will be granted to formal workers. Formal workers are those with employer employee relationship. To avail, a private firm (small and medium) needs to apply for their employees.

They need to show establishment report and the company payroll for the month before they implemented work from-home policies or temporary closure to include the bank account of its employees.

Application could be done through online (DOLE website).Once approved; cash aid will be deposited directly to the employees.

The DOLE official said, an estimated 10,000 formal workers are in the city alone, excluding the 15k workers in the Baguio Export Processing Zone.

“We expect the number of affected “workers” will rise,” said labor official, noting the “slow down” of work at the special economic zone. De Guzman said there are about 200k formal workers in the [Cordillera] region.

The cash aid is dubbed as “COVID-19 Adjustment Program Measure (CAMP), the program offers financial support to workers whose companies either implemented flexible work arrangements or had to close temporarily because of the government’s lockdown order –measure avoiding the spread of the novel coronavirus dreaded disease.

INFORMAL SECTORS

Also some amount will be rolled out for informal workers (those without employer employee relationship). De Guzman identified these informal workers like- taho and ukay-ukay vendors, and jeepney drivers, among others.

They will be covered in the employment emergency funds under TULONG PANGKABUHAYAN SA DISADVANTAGED/DISPLACED WORKERS (TUPAD). He said they will be called “community workers” utilized to disinfect the communities and will be paid P350 per day (minimum wage).

The special Kapihan, organized by the Cordillera Association of Regional Executives (CARE), was aired live by People’s Television-Baguio, a state-owned television station under the Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO).

Primo Agatep/ABN