AFTER over a year, at least 3,000 displaced workers from 10 companies in Lapu-Lapu City received P3,000 cash assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7.
Sandra Rose Monterona, DSWD 7 social welfare officer II, told reporters on Monday, March 24, 2025, that the cash assistance is under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program.
She said 3,327 displaced employees were listed from endorsement letters submitted by the City Public Employment and Service Office (Peso), covering December 2023, 2024, and a new one for 2025 from a private company.
Monterona said the distribution of AICS cash assistance took time because additional requests were made in 2025 to secure the necessary funds from the Central Office.
She explained that the funds were only requested in 2025 due to ongoing layoffs at Mactan Export Zone (MEZ) and the additional endorsement letters, including the list of retrenched workers sent to DSWD this year.
Kim Francisco, the head of Peso, in a separate interview, said the beneficiaries are displaced workers from MEZ, as well as employees from two private companies outside of MEZ, primarily from the manufacturing sector.
“They have waited over a year for this assistance, with some fortunate to wait only a few months. We are thankful that DSWD 7 responded to the Lapu-Lapu City Government’s request through Peso to help those who lost their jobs,” said Francisco in a mix of Cebuano and English.
He explained that the affected workers were either retrenched, impacted by company restructuring, or had lost their jobs due to company closures.
The displaced workers received cash distribution at two locations in Barangay Poblacion, Lapu-Lapu City: 1,690 from one private company at Court 1 and 1,637 from nine companies at the City Auditorium, he said.
He added that beneficiaries of the DSWD cash assistance program were required to present valid identification cards and hard copies of their notice of termination and retrenchment for verification against the official list. Proxy or representative submissions were not allowed, even with authorization, as the individual must personally sign for the payroll.
Manilyn Goay, one of the displaced workers who was retrenched in April 2024, said that she was glad to finally receive the assistance after nearly a year.
While she had expected the assistance, she was aware that it would take some time to be processed. She added that the support would help boost the capital for her sari-sari store.
Meanwhile, Francisco revealed that officials are working to address remaining concerns and finalize the Department of Labor and Employment’s livelihood program for displaced workers in Lapu-Lapu City.
He said displaced workers opting for the livelihood program must meet specific qualifications, including being on the official list, attending an orientation and having their business proposal approved to receive items worth up to P30,000. / DPC