MANILA — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Friday reported that it has provided jobs and livelihood assistance to some 27,000 residents and non-residents who are working in Boracay Island during the six-month rehabilitation and temporary closure of the world-class tourist destination.
In a Facebook live interview with other government officials at the soft opening of the island, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said they were able to initially assist 5,000 workers due to limited budget under the Emergency Employment Program (EEP) of the department.
He noted that they were able to assist an additional 22,000 workers in Boracay after the Office of the President gave them PHP500 million.
“Unang-una nung sinara ang Boracay nagkaproblema kami dahil ang hotel workers and informal workers nawalan ng trabaho. Agad-agad implement ang EEP ng DOLE. (When Boracay was closed, we encountered problems because of the hotel workers and informal workers who lost their jobs. DOLE readily implemented the EEP). Although, limited resources we were able to address the of about 5,000 workers,” he said.
“Fortunately, the Office of the President gave us half billion pesos, so we were able provide additional EEP to about 22,000 not only Boracay residents but all of those who are working here,” the DOLE chief added.
Bello noted that the almost PHP500 million have been given to beneficiaries and they continue to provide employment assistance even as the island-partially opened, saying the DOLE released an additional PHP2 million worth of livelihood project under EEP.
He asked the inter-agency Task Force Boracay composed of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of the Local and Interior Government, Department of Tourism, Department of Public Works and Highways and Department of Social Welfare and Development, to ensure that the affected workers of the island will be provided jobs.
Bello said the rehabilitation of Boracay only shows what the Duterte government has to offer.
“What is happening here in Boracay is a clear manifestation of the Duterte kind of leadership,” he added.
At the same time, the DOLE head appealed to employers in the newly-rehabilitated island to ensure that they are compliant with labor laws and standards.
He said establishments in Boracay should follow the occupational safety and standards to prevent accidents from happening.
Last April, the Boracay Island was ordered temporarily closed for rehabilitation after President Duterte described it as “cesspool” due to problems of sewerage and waste disposal management. (Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)
