DOLE ready to assist displaced tourism workers, says Bello
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said affected establishments under the tourism sector that implemented Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAS) or Alternative Work Scheme (AWS) that resulted in a reduction or loss of regular income or wages for its employees for the duration of community quarantine may apply for their workers' financial assistance.Â

The DOLE said this is for a more "inclusive implementation of the financial assistance and cash for work program for displaced workers in the tourism sector."
In their joint advisory with the Department of Tourism (DOT) dated December 7, 2020, the DOLE also allowed the beneficiaries of the DSWD Social Amelioration Program (SAP) and COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) under Bayanihan 1 to apply.
"Beneficiaries of SAP and CAMP under Bayanihan 1 are not precluded from receiving the unemployment or involuntary separation assistance under Bayanihan 2. Thus, said beneficiaries may apply for the financial assistance," read the advisory.
The DOLE and DOT said LGU-licensed secondary tourism enterprises that have implemented permanent closure or, as a mitigating measure, have implemented retrenchment, temporary closure, or FWA/AWS, may likewise apply for their employees financial assistance.
Last week, the Labor department already announced that formal sector workers seeking government assistance under the CAMP have only until December 11 to apply, saying the program had reached the number of target beneficiaries for the one-time cash assistance of P5,000 under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (Bayanihan 2).
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, however, said that DOLE regional offices shall continue receiving and processing applications for financial assistance under CAMP for tourism sector workers.
CAMP for tourism intends to benefit over 600,000 workers in the industry, one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.Â
DOLE said a total of 74,254 tourism sector workers from 2,318 establishments have so far applied for the financial assistance.
CAMP for tourism workers has a P3-billion budget.