Unpaid private sector workers to receive sum from gov’t

AFTER COVID-19 ALIENATED THEM

By Mortz C. Ortigoza 

M’LANG, COTABATO - Workers deprived to receive wages from their private employers can receive their remuneration through COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP).

According to Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello, that CAMP, through Order No. 209, aims to provide financial support to affected workers in private establishments to mitigate the adverse economic impact of reduced income brought by the pandemic Corona Virus Disease -19 (COVID-19).

The program is part of the P1.3 billion financial assistance for the 250, 000 Filipino workers who shall temporarily lose their jobs and incomes due to the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Period and Coverage

The program covers workers in private establishment affected by COVID-19 pandemic from its onset in January 2020, until the lifting of the Stringent Social Distancing Measure in the National Capital Region on April 14, 2020 unless extended by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Big businesses are highly encouraged to cover the full wages of employees within the one month community quarantine period.

JOBLESS Filipinos exponentially rise because of the phantom killer pandemic Corona Virus Disease - 19. Photo Credit: Rappler

Financial Support

CAMP provides affected workers with financial relief necessary to lessen the immediate adverse economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Relative to DOLE Labor Advisory No. 11 Series of 2020, which states that workers leaves of absence during the quantitative period are to be charged against the leave credits, the financial-assistance may be used to cover remaining unpaid leaves of affected workers.

A one-time financial assistance equivalent to P5,000.00 should be provided to affected worker in lump sum, non-conditional regardless of employment status.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant must be a private establishment that has implemented Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) temporary closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Budget

The DOLE shall allocate and utilize funds to be sourced from the budget under the Social Protection Program of the 2020 General Appropriation Act, and if applicable or granted under the president’s contingency fund for the following items subject to the usual accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte allocated P200 billion for low-income households affected by the community quarantines meant to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines.

Low-income households in the National Capital Region are expected to receive P8,000 in cash subsidy for two months, while those in the 16 other regions will each receive between P5,000 and P6,500 under the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act.
This is according to the schedule of the emergency subsidy program per region that House Ways and Means Committee chair Joey Salceda shared with reporters last March 31.
 Salceda cited that the amount that each household will receive is based on the daily minimum wage in the region in which they belong.