THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is allocating P28 million to provide emergency employment assistance to workers displaced by the twin earthquakes that hit Davao Oriental last week.
In a statement, the DOLE-Davao Region said that an allocation amounting to P28,067,500 is being set aside for the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (Tupad) program in the Davao Region.
"P28,067,500 in total funds has been earmarked for the worker beneficiaries," said DOLE-Davao Region Director Randolf Pensoy.
He said a total of 5,450 worker-beneficiaries are being eyed as emergency employment beneficiaries.
Of the total, 4,950 beneficiaries will come from Davao Oriental, while the remaining 500 beneficiaries will be distributed across Davao City, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao Occidental.
He said the worker-beneficiaries will be tapped to help in debris segregation, materials recovery, stockpiling, clearing operations, and waste management activities in affected areas.
Pensoy said the emergency employment program will run for 10 days.
On October 10, magnitudes 7.6 and 6.8 earthquakes hit Davao Oriental, with the epicenter detected in Manay.
More than 490,000 people were affected by the so-called "doublet earthquake." (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)