Informal sector workers in the province of Masbate, some of them recovering from the recent typhoon Jolina, received 43.2 million pesos worth of livelihood assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday, September 11.

Some 3,600 displaced or disadvantaged Masbateño workers, including returning OFWs and youth interns, received from the labor department pangkabuhayan programs, such as the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) worth 3.3 million pesos, and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) amounting to around 34.8 million pesos.

Led by Labor Secretary Silvestre ‘Bebot’ Bello III, the DOLE team also awarded 4.7 million pesos stipend for the beneficiaries of the Government Internship Program (GIP) and nearly 240,000 pesos DOLE – AKAP assistance and social benefits for OFW families.

Secretary Bello also awarded the DOLE Safety Seals to Masbate-based Filminera Resources Corporation and Philippine Gold Processing and Refining Corporation for complying with the health and safety standards of Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF – EID).

“Ang utos ng ating Pangulo, ang kuwarta sa tao. Inyo ‘yung pera. Hindi niyo utang sa akin yan, hindi niyo ‘iyan utang sa DOLE. Iyan ay pera ninyo, dapat lang na mapunta sa inyo,” Bello told the beneficiaries as he also reminded them to take care of their livelihood programs.

Among the DOLE grantees are selected vaccinated essential workers who received bicycle units with complete accessories and mobile phones under the DILP’s Bike-Cination Project.

Welcomed by Masbate local chief executives and DOLE Region V headed by Director Ma. Zenaida Angara-Campita, Secretary Bello was also joined by Undersecretary Benjo Santos Benavidez, OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac, DOLE NCR Director Sarah Buena Mirasol, and BWSC Director Ma. Karina Perida-Trayvilla.

Source: Department of Labor and Employment