CEBU CITY, Philippines – After the rapid appraisal conducted by the Region 7 office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), its newly installed regional director Atty. Ma. Gloria A. Tango recently announced that the DOLE will provide an emergency employment package of assistance to the quake victims in Negros Oriental.

The announcement came after Tango received the final package plan from the Negros Oriental DOLE Team that monitored the immediate effects of the calamity in the municipalities of Tayasan, Guihulngan, Jimalalud, La Libertad and Ayungon.

Tango explained that the program aims to provide immediate jobs to displaced constituents of Negros Oriental.

The affected areas are generally agri-based where residents are engaged in livestock raising and non-commercial fishing and farming which do not necessarily involve tilling the soil. Most of the residents’ primordial sources of livelihood were lost due to the floods and landslides that swept their farms, not to mention the massive lost of shelter and personal belongings.

Latest reports showed that 1,919 houses and a number of public roads and bridges were damaged. The death toll has risen to 26 with 52 injured and 71 missing.

“The victims lost their livelihood and it is imperative upon the DOLE to focus available resources to these areas by providing them emergency employment during the restoration and rehabilitation of government infrastructures that were damaged by said calamities,” she stressed.

Through the package, Tango pointed out that the local partners of DOLE will tap the services of displaced workers in rebuilding bridges, roads and drainage facilities.

“We shall provide the funds for the wages of these beneficiaries and our partner local government unit in these areas will shoulder the materials, tools and equipment for their rebuilding projects in the locality,” said Tango.

She also revealed that the plan is expected to provide the beneficiaries with 15 to 30 days emergency employment assistance under the DOLE Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD).

The towns of La Libertad, Jimalalud, Tayasan, Ayungon and the City of Guihulngan will each have 100 beneficiaries for the project at P200 wage rate per day. DOLE is coordinating with LGUs for the program of works and other intervention assistance. The agency hopes to start the TUPAD project by next month.

Moreover, during the period of the beneficiaries’ emergency employment, the DOLE Team in Negros Oriental, headed by Vivencio Lagahid, will start the social preparation and livelihood restoration efforts so that the quake victims may continue their income-generating activities. Such activities constitute Phase 2 of the said program

Early last week, Tango ordered the release of a check worth P550,000 to the City of Guihulngan to support its livelihood programs that will benefit 110 beneficiaries.

She also expects more proposals to come from the affected LGUs to finance their livelihood restoration action plan especially for the quake victims and their families.