The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has approved a P20 million assistance to over 800 workers and other members of marginalized groups in Metro Manila.
DOLE Sec. Silvestre Bello III said the assistance package will benefit public utility vehicle drivers, solo parents, ambulant vendors, marginalized fisherfolk, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable workers.
Beneficiaries of the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) received either bicycle units, electronic loading business, bigasan package, frozen goods, home care products, Nego-Kart (Negosyo sa Kariton), or banca.
"This is part of the government’s economic recovery efforts to aid the vulnerable and marginalized workers affected by the pandemic," said Bello.
Bello said the assistance package also covers recipients of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Program who underwent emergency employment for 10 days and received their salary amounting to P5,370 each.
Based on the March 2022 Labor Force Survey of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), 36.2 percent or 17.016 million of the total number of employed persons could be considered as workers in the informal sector.
The PSA defines the informal sector as consisting of “units” engaged in the production of goods and services with the primary objective of generating employment and income to the persons concerned in order to earn a living. These units typically operate at a low level of organization, with little or no division between labor and capital as factors of production.