DOLE: P2 billion left in pandemic cash aid for informal workers

The Department of Labor and Employment still has P2 billion left in its budget for the cash aid program for informal workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Secretary Silvestre Bello II said Thursday.

At the Laging Handa public briefing, Bello said the department is aiming to distribute all the remaining funds to qualified beneficiaries.

“For this year 2021, we still have about P2 billion,” he said.

“Ito ay ipapamudmod po namin sa ating informal workers na yun ang utos ng ating Pangulo [We will distribute it to informal workers as instructed by our President],” he added.

A total of P7 billion in cash assistance has been released to around 2.6 million informal workers, according to Bello.

Around P6 billion were also released to formal workers, who are also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of P12 billion cash aid has been provided to 725,000 overseas Filipino  workers under the DOLE program, Bello added. — BM, GMA News