DOLE to provide cash subsidy to workers amid high inflation rate

By Ferdinand Patinio

July 6, 2018, 8:20 pm

MANILA — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said on Friday the five-year high in inflation rate will have an effect to the workers.

DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III said all employees will be affected by the inflation increase.

“It will affect all the workers for that matter. Whether they are minimum wage earners (or not), of course, they will feel the effect,” he said in an interview.

At the same time, the DOLE chief assured that they are preparing possible assistance to minimum wage earners, the proposed cash subsidy of PHP200 per month.

“We are confident that it will be approved,” said Bello.

He noted that before they came up with the recommendation, they had a meeting with Department of Finance, Department of Trade and Industry, National Economic and Development Authority, and Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Earlier, DOLE said it is looking to provide employees who are receiving minimum wage with a PHP200 monthly subsidy to help them cope with the rising cost of living.

On Thursday, the government reported that inflation has jumped by 5.2 percent in June, attributed to the continuous rise in prices of basic commodities and “sin” products in the country. (PNA)

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