The Department of Labor and Employment has approved the financial assistance to affected workers due to the coronavirus disease or COVID-19, which prompted the government to declare an enhanced community quarantine in the entire Luzon island.
Under the new department order, affected workers can receive Php5,000 financial aid from the department, which will be sent through their company’s payroll system. Priority workers are those in the micro, small and medium enterprises. The department has allotted at least Php2 billion pesos on the COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program or CAMP.
“Sila po yung ating mga retained workers na hindi nakakareceive ng regular wage dahil nag-cut ng work hours or work days or forced leave or other mitigating measures ng employers. Regardless po kung anong status ng kanilang employment,” the DOLE said in an interview with CNN Philippines.
At least 250,000 workers are expected to benefit from the program, and the financial aid is expected to be received before the end of March.
97 companies have adopted the work from home schemes or flexible work arrangements, while 28 establishments have suspended or cease operations.
Workers in the informal sector can also avail the emergency employment program to augment the suspension of work and mass transportation due to the enhanced community quarantine.
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