MANILA – Close to 20,000 individuals affected by the oil spill in Oriental Mindoro province will be given emergency employment and livelihood assistance worth PHP110 million, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported on Monday.
In a statement, DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said the assistance to 19,892 beneficiaries is in partnership with other government agencies such as the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Tourism (DOT), and the provincial government.
Laguesma, TESDA Director-General Danilo Cruz, DOT Secretary Maria Esperanza Christina Frasco (represented by Atty. Shereen Gail Yu-Pamintuan, Undersecretary for Administration and Finance), and Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito “Bonz” Dolor signed the Memorandum of Agreement on April 24, at the Calapan City Convention Center.
Under the agreement, some 19,892 beneficiaries in affected areas will receive PHP110 million worth of emergency employment and livelihood assistance through the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) of the DOLE to be distributed as follows: Pola – PHP5,065,875; Naujan – PHP9,143,103; Mansalay – PHP11,051,103; Pinamalayan - PHP17,886,147; Bansud – PHP7,787,673; Bulalacao – PHP13,355,514; Gloria – PHP8,207,055; Bongabong – PHP7,782,042; Roxas - PHP7,748,256; San Teodoro – PHP344,835; and Calapan City – PHP19,840,932.
Upon identification of affected tourism workers in coordination with the local government units, the DOT will commence capacity development training programs for qualified beneficiaries on culinary/food tourism; farm tourism; tourism micro retail; and health and wellness tourism, among others.
On the other hand, TESDA has allocated funds for NC II skills training in construction; agriculture; tourism; automotive; and other relevant sectors, as well as livelihood training programs through its training centers and registered mobile programs.
The agency also designed short-term programs on critical competencies for each of the identified NC II courses.
For the province’s part, it will act as the coordinator in charge of ensuring the systematic coverage of affected workers and smooth project implementation, as well as monitoring the integration of trained beneficiaries to establish their self-reliance.
Laguesma noted that the convergence agreement is the department’s answer to the people’s clamor for help.
“While DOLE provides temporary aid to disadvantaged or displaced workers under the TUPAD Program, the department still strives to bring more sustainable and inclusive assistance to the affected individuals and families,” he said. (PNA)