Over 800 vulnerable workers in NCR affected by pandemic got financial aid —DOLE

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Wednesday said over 800 vulnerable workers in the National Capital Region (NCR) received P20 million financial assistance from them. 

In a statement, DOLE said the aid was given during this year’s Labor Day for the Informal Sector Workers which was held on Monday in Arroceros, Manila.

Citing the aid as part of the government’s economic recovery efforts, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III awarded the DOLE financial aid to the vulnerable and marginalized workers affected by the pandemic.

Bello said that beneficiaries of the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) received either bicycle units, electronic loading business, bigasan package, frozen goods, home care products, Nego-Kart (Negosyo sa Kariton), or banca.

He noted that recipients of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Program underwent emergency employment for 10 days and received their salary amounting to P5,370 each.

The Labor Secretary, meanwhile, highlighted the significant economic contribution of the informal sector workers and reiterated the department’s thrust to reduce their vulnerability to risks either through emergency employment or promotion of entrepreneurship and community enterprises.

Bello also underscored the Duterte administration’s social amelioration programs and the importance of the whole-of-government approach to help the marginalized sector recover from the impact of the pandemic.

Based on the March 2022 Labor Force Survey of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), 36.2% or 17.016 million of the total number of employed persons could be considered as workers in the informal sector.

The PSA defines the informal sector as consisting of “units” engaged in the production of goods and services with the primary objective of generating employment and income to the persons concerned in order to earn a living, according to DOLE.

These units typically operate at a low level of organization, with little or no division between labor and capital as factors of production, it added.

Led by the Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns, the theme for this year’s event was titled “Manggagawa sa Impormal na Sektor, Matatag na Ugnayan Tungo sa Matatag na Pagbangon.” —Mel Matthew Doctor/KG, GMA News