There were 25,000 workers in Metro Manila who lost their jobs with the imposition of Alert Level 3 to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the capital region, Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III revealed on Tuesday.
“As of Monday, the reported workers who were displaced — either through retrenchment or closure of office — only reached 25,000,” Bello said over Teleradyo.
Bello said the displaced workers in areas under Alert Level 3 or higher will benefit from the DOLE’s COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (Camp), where they will each receive P5,000 cash aid.
The labor chief said the department has allotted P1 billion for the program for some 200,000 beneficiaries.
“Our estimate here is only for those based in Metro Manila, but now there are now more regions and provinces under alert level 3 so we are expecting that we will reach our target of 200,000,” he pointed out.
Bello, however, clarified that the informal workers are not included in Camp, but in DOLE’s cash-for-work program also known as Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged-Displaced (Tupad).
Metro Manila is under Alert Level 3 until January 31.
The government’s pandemic taskforce also placed Kalinga, Ifugao, Mountain Province and Northern Samar under Alert Level 4. (©Philippine Daily Inquirer 2021)
