Tourism workers may avail of cash aid, employment programs: DOLE

Under the program, displaced formal sector workers are entitled to receive a one-time financial aid amounting to PHP5,000. (File Photo by Elmer nev valenzuela/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

MANILA – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Thursday encouraged displaced tourism workers in the formal and informal sectors to avail of the financial assistance and the emergency employment program of the government.

Through Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2020-001 signed by DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, workers in the tourism sector may apply for Covid-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Program.

Covered by CAMP are tourism industry workers, such as tour guides and service staff.

Under the program, displaced formal sector workers are entitled to receive a one-time financial aid amounting to PHP5,000.

Workers may avail of the assistance provided that they are employed under a DOT-accredited Primary Tourism Enterprise, DOT-accredited Secondary Tourism Enterprise, Local Government Unit-licensed (non-DOT-accredited) Primary Tourism Enterprise, or a registered Community-Based Tourism Organization (CBTO).

Establishments with DOT accreditation may directly visit https://reports.dole.gov.ph/ for the online application.

To apply for the one-time cash aid, applicants may select the “Apply for CAMP Financial Assistance” option. If applying for laid-off workers, the applicant simply needs to fill in the online form.

Each applicant will be given a tracking number to monitor the progress of their application.

Meanwhile, the DOLE said workers in the informal sector whose means of livelihood are tourism-related may apply for inclusion in the cash-for-work program under TUPAD.

Under the program, beneficiaries will be provided emergency employment for two weeks and will be paid based on the prevailing minimum wage in the area they are employed.

The CAMP and TUPAD are being implemented in fulfillment of the goals of Republic Act 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2).

Signed by President Rodrigo Duterte into law in September, Bayanihan 2 aims to address the widespread economic and societal impact of the coronavirus disease pandemic.