DOLE fast tracks emergency and livelihood assistance to ‘Lawin’ – displaced workers

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MANILA – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Wednesday that Lawin- affected regions are under instructions to fast-track the profiling of displaced and affected workers so the DOLE’s emergency employment program and other interventions, including livelihood, will be implemented.

D0LE Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said the profiling of affected workers is a standard operating procedure of the DOLE after each calamity, in coordination with the local government units and the Public Employment Service Offices in the region.

Bello added that the emergency employment program will be funded from the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers, or TUPAD.

TUPAD is DOLE’s support program which provides short-term and immediate employment for victims of natural calamities.

TUPAD is under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program, or DILEEP, which can be made available to worker-victims, where workers in the affected areas are engaged in community and rural rehabilitation work, specifically in de-clogging, clearing, and cleaning of communities, schools, and evacuation centers.

DOLE also provides the Nego-Kart or Negosyo sa Kariton and Kabuhayan Starter Kits.

This is DOLE’s livelihood enhancement program consisting of a package of services that will enable the target beneficiaries to quickly start livelihood undertaking and become self-employed to recover lost incomes.

“Our goal here is to provide our displaced workers immediate relief from the calamity by giving them income, and at the same time, enlist them for the rehabilitation, clearing and cleaning of their affected communities,” Bello said.

According to an initial report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), around 117,000 persons were affected by the super typhoon.

Bello said the DOLE Regional Offices have their respective Quick Response Teams (QRTs) which were promptly activated last week.

Members of the QRTs in the affected regions are currently assessing the extent of damage to firms and establishments. After assessment, the QRTs will deliver DOLE’s package of assistance to displaced workers.

The QRTs main responsibility is to deliver a package of assistance which consists of the following: profiling of displaced workers; employment guidance and counselling; facilitation of payment of separation pay; employment matching and referral for wage employment (using available facilities, such as the PhilJobnet and jobs fair); information on and certification for SSS loan availment; referral to other DOLE programs; and referral of qualified displaced workers to other government and non-government organizations for technical and financial assistance for livelihood or self-employment.