Filipino workers in Canada receive recovery aid

FILE: Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III during a press conference on Thursday (Sept. 27, 2018), which is held at the DOLE main office in Intramuros, Manila. (PNA photo by Gil Calinga)

MANILA – The Canadian government has extended its coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) recovery assistance to Filipinos who are temporarily working in the North American country, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said on Sunday.

In a report to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Vancouver said Canada has made changes to its Employment Insurance program and introduced a package of recovery benefits to better support not only its citizens but also qualified temporary Filipino workers.

According to the report, those who are already receiving the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) are also eligible to avail one of the new recovery benefits.

The package of aid includes the Canada Recovery Benefit that gives income support to employed and self-employed individuals who are directly affected by Covid-19 and who are not covered by the state emergency insurance. Under this program, beneficiaries may receive CAD1,000 (PHP36,800) for a two-week period.

Another assistance is called the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit that provides income support to those who are unable to work because they must care for their child under 12 years old or has a family member who needs supervised care. If eligible, a household may receive CAD500 (PHP18,400).

A third aid measure is the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit. This assistance extends income support to those who are unable to work because they are sick or needed to self-isolate due to Covid-19. Also covered are those who have underlying condition which puts them at greater risk of getting Covid-19. If eligible, they can receive CAD500 for a one week-period.

Bello thanked the federal government of Canada for the assistance package which also helps overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The Canadian government’s continuous support to Temporary Filipino Workers is very much appreciated by the Philippines, most especially at this time of the pandemic,” Bello said in a press release issued on Sunday.

These programs are a follow-through to the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit, a program which provides financial support (amounting to CAD2,000 per month) to employed and self-employed Canadians, as well as foreign nationals working in Canada, who are directly affected by Covid-19.

The new recovery package will be in effect for a year from last month.

For more information regarding the recovery programs of the Canadian government, particularly on qualifications and eligibility, applicants may read more at https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/covid19-emergency-benefits. (PR)