About 4,800 sugarcane workers affected by the unrest of Mount Kanlaon in Negros recently received financial aid, amounting to a total of P4.8 million, the Department of Labor and Employment said.
The assistance of P1,000 each was provided to sugarcane mill and field workers in the hardest-hit sugar milling districts of La Carlota City, and towns of Binalbagan and Isabela, to help mitigate income losses brought by the disaster, the DOLE said in a statement Sept. 9.
The DOLE, through its Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC) and Negros Occidental Field Office (NOFO), released the assistance, under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) for workers in the sugar industry. Funding was sourced from the SAP-Socioeconomic Projects Fund and the forfeited unclaimed and undistributed cash bonus bond from Region 6.
Data from the District Tripartite Councils’ (DTC) field worker representative showed the eruption disrupted the livelihood of an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 sugar workers. Records from crop year 2019–2020 Cash Bonus Program implementation indicated that the affected workforce in these areas included 329 mill workers and 27,970 field workers.
The distribution was carried out directly by the NOFO, in close coordination with DTCs and workers’ associations, the DOLE said, adding that beneficiaries were validated against officially-endorsed lists to ensure proper targeting and to avoid duplication.
The assistance reflects DOLE’s continued commitment to safeguard the welfare of the workers, especially those in the sugar industry, who face both the challenges of their trade and the impact of natural disasters.
The agency encourages beneficiaries to continue engaging with their respective workers’ organizations and local councils for updates on future socio-economic programs. ||
