SABANGAN Mountain Province (PIA)– Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III recently led here the awarding of assistance under the various programs of the Department of Labor and Employment to beneficiaries in the province
Under the TUPAD or Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Displaced/Disadvantaged workers, around P46.71 million was awarded for the payout of 4,281 COVID–19 affected informal sector workers in the municipality of Sabangan , who rendered community work for a minimum of 10 days with a daily wage of P350.
Sabangan Mayor Marcial Lawilao Jr. expressed gratitude for the DOLE TUPAD program, as the worker beneficiaries were also helpful and instrumental in the repair of the Gotong Bridge in Busa that was damaged due to the monsoon rains.
Still under TUPAD, Bello also awarded around P59.3M to the local chief executives of the municipalities of Paracelies, Natonin, Barlig, Bontoc and Tadian to benefit 5,617 program beneficiaries.
For the DOLE CAMP (COVID–19 Adjustment Program) which is in partnership with the Department of Tourism, 412 worker beneficiaries from the Maligcong Homestay and Tour Guides Association, Talubin Tour Guides Association and Bontoc Federated Association of Tricycle Operators and Drivers received assistance of P5,000 each.
Under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program, 24 parents of child laborers from Paracelis received a total assistance P405, 675 to help them in their home businesses such as hog raising, bread and pastries, mobile food, hollow blocks production and massage parlor.
Two associations namely the Kamem-an Chinakop Organization of Bontoc and Mabato Farmers Group received P963,968 livelihood grant for egg production and retail business and P390,264.40 assistance for a mobile mill set, respectively.
In line with the government’s whole–of nation–approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, five rebel returnees also received a total of P132,780 livelihood assistance from DOLE for their proposed welding, carpentry and rice and corn milling services.
There were also two recipients of the ELAP (Emergency Livelihood Education Program) which provides an annual educational assistance to children of deceased overseas Filipino workers and one beneficiary of the ODSP (OFW Dependent Scholarship Program) which is for children of OFWs whose salary abroad is less than 600 US dollars.
Bello, in his message, outlined that DOLE is only following the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to make sure that the people receive the assistance which is the money of the people. “That is your money, so take care of your money”, he said.
With the continuing threat of the COVID–19 pandemic, Bello encouraged the people of Mountain Province to support the national vaccination program and for the local leaders and the community to continue to work together in the fight against the pandemic.
“There is no substitute for unity,” he stressed.
In the said visit Bello and his entourage were warmly welcomed by provincial leaders headed by Governor BonifacioLacwasan and Congressman Maximo Dalog Jr. **JDP/CCD with Valerie Taguba-PIA CAR
