The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has provided more than P43 million worth of livelihood assistance to the informal sector workers in Masbate province--some of them are still recovering from the onslaught of the recent Typhoon "Jolina."
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III led the awarding of the Department's aid to some 3,600 beneficiaries in the province on Saturday, Sept. 11.
These include displaced or disadvantaged workers, returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and youth interns who have received "pangkabuhayan" programs such as the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) and the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers or TUPAD.
Bello also distributed some P4.7 million stipend for the beneficiaries of the Government Internship Program and nearly P240,000 DOLE–AKAP assistance and social benefits for OFW families.
Also among the DOLE grantees are selected vaccinated essential workers who received bicycle units with complete accessories and mobile phones under the DILP’s Bike-Cination Project.
Aside from these programs, the labor chief awarded the DOLE Safety Seals to two companies in the province namely Filminera Resources Corporation and Philippine Gold Processing and Refining Corporation for complying with the health and safety standards of Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
In his speech during the program, Bello told the beneficiaries that they are not indebted to the government because the funds used for their programs are people's money.
He also reminded them to take care of their livelihoods and use their money wisely.
"Inyo yung pera. Hindi ninyo utang sa akin yan, hindi ninyo iyan utang sa DOLE. Iyan ay pera ninyo, dapat lang na mapunta sa inyo (The money is yours. You don't owe it to me or to DOLE. That's your money and it should be given to you)," Bello said.