By Joseph B.A. Marzan
The Department of Labor and Employment-Region 6 (DOLE-6) has started rolling out financial assistance to workers hit by the economic impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), under Republic Act No. 11494 (Bayanihan to Recover as One Act) or “Bayanihan 2”.
There are four financial assistance programs currently being implemented by the DOLE-6 – the Abot-Kamay Ang Pagtulong (AKAP), COVID-19 Adjustment Measure Program (CAMP), Tabang Overseas Filipino Workers (Tabang OFW), and the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD).
These programs were already implemented by the first COVID-19 relief emergency package under Republic Act No. 11469 (Bayanihan to Heal As One Act).
Under AKAP, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), who were repatriated due to the loss of their jobs, or contracted COVID-19 overseas, or those whose new or renewed contracts were cancelled or put on hold, are given up to US$200 or P10,000 financial assistance.
The application and processing for the AKAP is done online via the websites of DOLE and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
At present, the DOLE-6 has already disbursed up to P50 million out of its P80 million allocation, targeting up to 80,000 OFW and former OFW beneficiaries.
Another program for OFWs is Tabang OFW, which provides P30,000 in educational assistance to a qualified dependent of an OFW who either died from COVID-19 or lost their job overseas.
This program is implemented mainly by the OWWA, with the cash assistance being released by the DOLE.
CAMP provides P5,000 worth of financial assistance aimed at private sector workers under the formal economy, who were either dismissed or retrenched due to COVID-19, or those whose workplaces closed down or implemented flexible work arrangements resulting to loss of income.
There are two types of CAMP being implemented: the regular CAMP by the DOLE, and a special CAMP in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DOT) for workers in primary and secondary accredited tourism establishments, as well as accredited tour guides.
DOLE-6 spokesperson Niezel Sabrido told Daily Guardian in a phone interview Sunday that most of the CAMP beneficiaries are from Aklan, Iloilo City, Iloilo province, and Negros Occidental.
Up to 13,000 formal economy workers have been benefited by CAMP, with the DOLE-6 seeking to provide assistance for up to 20,000 workers.
In Region 6, the allocation is at P167 million for the regular CAMP, and P247 million for the special CAMP with the DOT.
As of this writing, P50 million had already been released through CAMP.
Informal sector workers are aided by the TUPAD program, which provides financial assistance based on the daily minimum wage, which is P395 in Region 6.
Those qualified under TUPAD have to render 15 days of work, with 4 hours of work per day, providing services such as cleaning and disinfection, or community activities such as canal declogging and tree planting.
The work rendered is in accordance with the standards set by the Department of Health (DOH) and the national Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID).
To date, the DOLE-6 has already released P2 million for TUPAD, with “all field offices being all hands on deck to increase disbursement”, according to Sabrido.
OTHER EFFORTS
DOLE-6 has also been implementing the supplemental guidelines with regard to workforce management, issued by its Central Office in partnership with the DTI.
Sabrido said that the DOLE-6 and the DTI-6 are actively, jointly monitoring the observance of the supplemental guidelines in establishments across the region.
She added that the DOLE-6 is also monitoring the release of workers’ 13th month pay, with establishments being mandated to report their issuance to them.
Presidential Decree No. 851 requires all employers to provide 13th month pay to employees on or before Dec. 24.
