ILOILO City – The local government unit (LGU) of Malay, Aklan is assuring aid for the 344 workers stranded in the town’s world-famous Boracay Island due to the province’s enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
Malay mayor Frolibar Bautista said the
LGU will distribute rice packs to the stranded workers this week.
“Some of them are from Iloilo and others are from Capiz. There are also some
who are from Romblon,” Bautista added.
According to the Public Employment Service Office in Malay, the stranded workers are mostly construction laborers and employees of tourism establishments.
The LGU of Panitan, Capiz has already sent food packs to its stranded locals there, while the Provincial Disaster Risk and Reduction Office in Iloilo province is coordinating with Malay LGU to assist the Ilonggos.
Bautista is also mulling to use Malay’s available Aid for Individuals in Crisis Situation budget to help the stranded workers.
He said: “It is because they cannot
avail of the Social Amelioration Program of the Department of Social Welfare
and Development (DSWD). We also have to check if they already availed the
Department of Labor and Employment’s amelioration program. But for the
meantime, we will distribute rice assistance to them within this week.”
Bautista added that some of the workers wish to go home in their respective
provinces.
The workers are allowed to leave the island, but they might find it hard to cross the province’s borders because of travel restrictions, according to the Bautista.
Malay’s LGU received information that the families of the workers are being taken care of by their respective LGUs.
“They depend on the salaries of our stranded workers, but we were assured that their families also receive aid from the government while they are stranded here,” he said.
For her part, DSWD Region 6 director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre recently said they will coordinate with Malay’s LGU for the food of the stranded workers.
“We can help them through our food
packs. The DSWD will work together with the LGU of Malay because they are the
first to help them. If the LGU cannot assist them with food, DSWD can augment
through our food packs,” she said.
The province of Aklan will remain under ECQ until April 30, as per executive order
signed by Aklan Governor Florencio Miraflores last April 9.(With a report from PNA/PN)
