“Mahigit 20,000 na mga manggagawa, magsasaka, at mga higit na nangangailangan sa Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, at Siquijor ang nakatanggap ng mahigit PHP174.6 million na ayuda mula sa Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).”
That is what Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during a Palace press briefing on Monday, July 20.
According to her, that is part of the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to give more livelihood opportunities in Negros Island Region.
The distribution was led by Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino to 174 beneficiaries of more than PHP7.4 million in livelihood grants under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP), in coordination with the Danawan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association.
Castro also noted that DOLE has continued to extend its help and services to the public in order to provide long-term livelihoods and support assistance in various projects including agribusiness, rice and corn milling, rice trading, livestock production, vegetable farming, and small businesses.
The Department also distributed funds for TUPAD (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers), an emergency employment program that provides temporary wage work for displaced, underemployed, and seasonal workers.
There were also temporary jobs offered to thousands of beneficiaries in Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, and Siquijor, including those in relation to repairs to public facilities, road cleaning, and other community work.
Meanwhile, Malacañang also said that it will provide support to farmers, particularly in addressing high production costs, as well as to protect them from the looming El Niño phenomenon.
Among the measures identified are provision of free seedlings and fertilizer to farmers.
“Sa pangkalahatan, nagbibigay na ngayon ang Department of Agriculture (DA) ng mga binhi at pataba para sa ating mga magsasaka,” said Castro. “Nakatanggap ang mga magsasaka na may two hectares and below na lupa ng libreng pataba at binhi ngayong planting season.”
In response to the El Niño that is forecast to hit the country later this year, Castro said the government is considering extending support to farmers.
She told that the DA will carry out a cloud seeding operation in partnership with the Philippine Air Force. “At magkakaroon din ng cloud seeding operation sa linggong ito sa Magat Dam, upang madagdagan ang tubig sa Magat Dam na sumusuporta sa mga magsasaka para sa kanilang patubig.”