ABOUT 2,500 workers from Central Visayas who lost their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic have received their long-awaited cash assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole).
This, after Dole 7 started distributing the P12.5 million second tranche cash allocation through the agency’s Covid-19 Adjustment Measures Program (Camp 2).
Through the program, qualified beneficiaries receive a P5,000 cash grant from the national government.
The cash assistance was allocated through Republic Act 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, popularly known as Bayanihan 2.
Dole 7 Director Salome Siaton said that of the P12.5 million allocated for the region, P50,000 was used to pay off money remittance firms whom they hire to send the cash aid to the affected workers.
A total of 713 affected workers from 41 establishments based in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu have received their cash aid.
In Cebu Province, 189 affected workers from 23 establishments have also received their cash aid; in Bohol, 326 workers from 36 establishments; in Negros Oriental, 1,119 employees from 103 establishments and 153 employees in 28 establishments in Siquijor.
“The amount we have disbursed as well as the data we’ve released will change over the next couple of days or even each day as we continue evaluating Camp applications in all of our Field Offices,” Siaton said.
Qualified beneficiaries of Camp 2 will receive a reference number that they can use to claim their cash assistance from money remittance centers.
Based on Department Order No. 218-2020, CampA will cover displaced workers including probationary, project, seasonal, contractual and casual employees during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The first tranche of Camp was distributed in April. / HBL / JKV