Government assistance for workers in Cagayan Province who are affected by the pandemic is seen to reach more than P1 billion by the end of 2021, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III expects DOLE to have distributed a total of P1.1 billion in financial assistance from its flagship cash-for-work aid program, the Tulong Panghanapbuhay para sa Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) to workers of the province before yearend.
"We estimated the number to reach more than 198,000 beneficiaries for a sum of more than P1.1 billion in TUPAD funds before the end of the year," Bello said.
This was mentioned by Bello during his recent visit to Isabela, Cagayan for the implementation of TUPAD and to lead the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) meeting there.
According to Bello, the Department has assisted a total of 88,065 workers and disbursed a total of P480 million in cash assistance since the start of the pandemic last year.
Meanwhile, Bello said that a total of P50 million was also set aside for the implementation of DOLE’s Livelihood Program in the 100 identified influenced barangays in the entire Cagayan Valley Region.
"Our people in the regional and field offices have started orientations among our partner local government units. We target to initiate the distribution of assistance in the last quarter," he added.
Bello also urged the local government units (LGUs) to pool more resources from other agencies to sustain the peace and development drive of the state in underprivileged barangays in the country.
"I am sure that with the LGUs’ support, we can accomplish more, help more people and lead them to a better, brighter future," he said.
After Isabela, Bello went to Tuguegarao City to deliver the financial and livelihood aid of the government to workers affected by the pandemic that continues to batter the economy.