A total of 1,415 caddies, workers, and employees from five major golf clubs in Metro Manila have received payouts of more than P7 million under the government's cash assistance program for workers displaced by the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat led the virtual awarding ceremony of the certificates to beneficiaries of the DOT-Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) program dubbed Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD).
The TUPAD beneficiaries are granted a one-time "ayuda" or cash aid worth P5,000.
"For the beneficiaries of the cash assistance program with us today, I hope that this amount can help you and your families in this difficult time. We humbly ask for your continued trust and support as we continue to seek out or develop additional solutions to help all tourism stakeholders and workers through this ongoing health crisis," Puyat said during the event on Thursday, May 27.
The beneficiaries include 509 caddies, tee boys and girls, golf instructors, vendors, and other employees from Camp Aguinaldo Golf Course; 340 caddies from Veterans Golf Club; 293 caddies from Alabang Country Club Inc.; 167 caddies from Club Intramuros Golf Course; and 106 employees of the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club.
This was part of the second tranche of ayuda under the Bayanihan 2 Act wherein a total of P3.1 billion in direct cash assistance was set aside for the sake of displaced workers in the country's tourism industry, including those in the informal sector.
"Despite the odds, challenges, and hurdles before us, we must never give up hope. It will take effort and perseverance but with all of us doing our part, I believe that the country’s tourism sector can recover and prosper once again," the tourism chief added.
Unlike other tourism destinations, golf courses have been operating at full capacity in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ), such as Metro Manila, provided that they are compliant with health and safety protocols.