P221-M cash aid approved for over 44,000 tourism workers in Western Visayas
Over P221 million cash assistance for more than 44,000 tourism workers in the Western Visayas have been approved by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to assist them amid the ongoing pandemic.

A one-time financial aid worth P5,000 was distributed each to beneficiaries of DOT and DOLE's COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) under Bayanihan 2 which was aimed at helping tourism stakeholders and industry workers affected by the health crisis.
Of the total number of beneficiaries in the region, 16,149 workers from Negros Occidental; 9,065 are from Iloilo; 9,728 from Aklan; 7,512 from Antique; 1,063 from Guimaras; and 845 from Capiz already received the assistance as of April 22.
Meanwhile, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat led the awarding of certificates in a recent virtual ceremony to 1,110 tourism workers from 15 establishments and organizations in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City.
According to Puyat, most of the beneficiaries recognized in the event came from primary and secondary tourism establishments, tourism support services, and community-based tourism organizations.
"To the beneficiaries who are with us today, I want to thank you for your patience, but I also want to reassure you that through our ongoing programs and projects, the tourism industry will recover and will be more resilient. The DOT and DOLE will be with you on this journey," Puyat said during the online event.
Adornado Saldua, president of Sipaway Island Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (SITODA), expressed gratitude on behalf of his fellow beneficiaries for the assistance extended by the DOT and DOLE to them.
"Kami ay nagpapaabot ng pasasalamat sa ipinagkaloob ninyong financial assistance sa aming grupo sa isla ng Sipaway. Isang malaking tulong ang ibinigay ninyong biyaya, na ipinaabot ninyo sa panahon ng pandemya (Thank you for the financial assistance you have given to our group on the island of Sipaway. This is a big help especially in this time of pandemic)," Saldua said.