630,000 Filipino workers displaced by coronavirus pandemic -- DOLE
Published Apr 1, 2020 12:00 am
By Leslie Aquino
More than 630,000 workers have so far been displaced by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19) pandemic.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said these workers were displaced either by reason of temporary closure or flexible work arrangements as reported by 15,213 establishments.
Of the said figure, he said 169,232 belong to the informal sector.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III (ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Bello appealed to employers in the private sector to apply to DOLE’s COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) financial assistance for the benefit of their workers.
"It has come to our attention that there are not a few establishments that refuse to submit their report along with the payroll to the detriment of their workers," he said.
"I therefore appeal again to companies that, for the sake of your employees and workers, submit your reports so that we may be able to extend them their most needed assistance under the CAMP," Bello added.
The CAMP is a safety net program which offers one time P5,000 financial support to employees of companies or business establishments that have adopted flexible work arrangements or temporary closure due to the COVID 19 pandemic.
To avail of the assistance, employers must submit their company payroll for February or earlier which is before the implementation of flexible working arrangements or temporary closure.
Bello also explained that the cash aid available is different from the allocation of P5,000 to P8,000 in subsidy that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and other agencies are providing under the Bayanihan to Heal As One law.
"While the new law provides a cash and non-cash Emergency Subsidy Program (ESP) for two months based on the prevailing regional wage rates, DOLE’s CAMP is a one-time quarantine assistance," he said.
The labor chief said the ESP also targets families with at least one member belonging to vulnerable and disadvantaged sectors such as senior citizens,persons with disability, pregnant and lactating women, solo parents, overseas Filipinos in distress, indigent indigenous peoples, underprivileged sector and homeless citizens, and informal economy workers.
Bello assured that the department will provide assistance to as many formal and informal sector workers.
According to the labor department, it has already distributed P160 million and is accelerating the release of assistance to affected workers.
DOLE also administers the TUPAD (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Displaced/Disadvantaged) to workers by providing them the equivalent of a daily minimum wage for 10 days of work for the informal sector.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III (ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Bello appealed to employers in the private sector to apply to DOLE’s COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) financial assistance for the benefit of their workers.
"It has come to our attention that there are not a few establishments that refuse to submit their report along with the payroll to the detriment of their workers," he said.
"I therefore appeal again to companies that, for the sake of your employees and workers, submit your reports so that we may be able to extend them their most needed assistance under the CAMP," Bello added.
The CAMP is a safety net program which offers one time P5,000 financial support to employees of companies or business establishments that have adopted flexible work arrangements or temporary closure due to the COVID 19 pandemic.
To avail of the assistance, employers must submit their company payroll for February or earlier which is before the implementation of flexible working arrangements or temporary closure.
Bello also explained that the cash aid available is different from the allocation of P5,000 to P8,000 in subsidy that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and other agencies are providing under the Bayanihan to Heal As One law.
"While the new law provides a cash and non-cash Emergency Subsidy Program (ESP) for two months based on the prevailing regional wage rates, DOLE’s CAMP is a one-time quarantine assistance," he said.
The labor chief said the ESP also targets families with at least one member belonging to vulnerable and disadvantaged sectors such as senior citizens,persons with disability, pregnant and lactating women, solo parents, overseas Filipinos in distress, indigent indigenous peoples, underprivileged sector and homeless citizens, and informal economy workers.
Bello assured that the department will provide assistance to as many formal and informal sector workers.
According to the labor department, it has already distributed P160 million and is accelerating the release of assistance to affected workers.
DOLE also administers the TUPAD (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Displaced/Disadvantaged) to workers by providing them the equivalent of a daily minimum wage for 10 days of work for the informal sector.