DOLE RO8 assists 12,901 private workers through CAMP

By NORMA RAE S. COSTIMIANO
May 15, 2020

TACLOBAN CITY – Under its CoViD-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP), the Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office VIII has provided P5,000.00 financial aid to 12,901 workers of some 915 private establishments in Eastern Visayas affected by the CoViD-19 pandemic, with a total assistance amounting to P64,505,000.00.

Of the total approved and paid establishments, 712 have resorted to temporary closure, displacing 8,883 workers while the remaining 203 establishments have implemented flexible work arrangements affecting 4,018 employees.

The one-time financial assistance was received by the beneficiaries through the M Lhuilier remittance center nearest them.

Breaking down the regional accomplishments, Northern Leyte Field Office, where the highly urbanized city of Tacloban is located, got the biggest share of the CAMP funds at 34% equivalent to P21,970,000 benefiting 4,394 workers from 291 firms. Ranking second is the Samar Field Office with 17% equivalent to P10,925,000.00 benefiting 2,185 employees of 120 establishments mostly located in Catbalogan City and Calbayog City.

Following closely were the West Leyte and Southern Leyte Field Offices, having 1,934 and 1,827 beneficiaries which translates to fund disbursements of P9,670,000.00 and P9,135,000.00, respectively.

Meanwhile, the remaining three field offices had their fare share considering the fewer establishments located thereat. Biliran Field Office was able to assist 1,117 workers equivalent to fund disbursement of P5,585,000.00 while the Northern Samar Field Office disbursed a total of P4,480,000.00 for the benefit of 896 affected workers. Eastern Samar Field Offices had the smallest share with P2,740,000.00, benefitting some 548 affected workers.

With the suspension of CAMP due to depleted funds, Regional Director Yahya A. Centi said that DOLE has done its best effort to extend help to the needy workers of the region displaced by the CoViD-19 crisis.

“We at DOLE have done the best way possible we can to extend assistance to our private workers through the CAMP. Although we were not able to accommodate all applicants due to lack of funds, we are happy serving the people of Region VIII”, said Centi.