Tourism workers getting ‘Odette’ aid excluded from CAMP: DOLE

MANILA – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said tourism sector workers who are beneficiaries of assistance for Typhoon Odette victims are excluded from the grant of cash assistance through its Covid-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP).

In Department Order No. 232 or the guidelines on the grant of CAMP signed by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Thursday, also excluded from the program are government employees and foreigners (excluding persons of concern or POCs).

POCs refer to a population of persons recognized by the Department of Justice as refugees, returnees, stateless people, internally displaced, and asylum-seekers.

Under the order, only private sector workers in areas under Alert Level 3 and up are covered by the one-time cash assistance of PHP5,000.

“These guidelines specify the objectives and coverage, program assistance and corresponding requirements, and the procedures concerning the delivery of financial support as means of social protection and welfare for affected workers in the formal sector,” it said.

The CAMP is a safety net program that provides one-time financial assistance to affected workers in the formal sector due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of tight quarantine restrictions in various areas in the country.

The DOLE said covered by the cash assistance are employees from private establishments that have implemented permanent closure and retrenchment, or temporary closure as mitigating measures due to the Covid-19 pandemic and declaration of Alert Level 3 or higher from January 2022 onwards.

“Affected workers – workers in private establishments whose employment face or suffer interruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic are categorized as; Displaced workers – workers whose employment is permanently terminated by reason of retrenchment or permanent closure of establishment (PC); and Suspended workers – workers whose employment is temporarily suspended by reason of the temporary closure or suspension of operations of the employer’s business establishment (TC),” the order added.

To avail of the cash aid, the employer or the worker may file their applications online through https://reports.dole.gov.ph/

For affected establishments, they are required to submitted an online report of TC or PC through the DOLE Establishment Reporting System (ERS) covering January 2022 onwards provided that applicant is situated in areas under Alert Level 3 or higher, latest payroll or any of the following alternative documents stated in DOLE Labor Advisory No. 12-A, Series of 2020 covering November or December 2021, or January 2022 onwards: Proof of payment of wages via logbook or ledger; Employment contract; Cash voucher or petty cash voucher; Authority to debit account sent by employer to bank for the wage of employees; SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG Alphalist or list of remittances; or List of employees with 13th month pay.

For affected workers/individuals, they have to submit any of the following documentary requirements: Clear photo of himself/herself holding a valid government-issued ID; and Duly notarized proof of unemployment (i.e. Certificate of Employment, Notice of Termination, Notarized Affidavit of Termination Employment, or Notice of Temporary Lay-Off) with a stated period.

The concerned DOLE regional office shall evaluate the applications within three working days from receipt thereof.