ILOILO City – The wide-reaching services of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) finds its way augmenting the livelihood of displaced market vendors and providing employment opportunities to members of the informal sector in the City and Province of Iloilo.
No less than DOLE Sec. Silvestre Bello III graced the turn-over of carts under the NegoKart Project benefitting 50 market vendors who were displaced by the renovations of Jaro Big Market and Mandurriao Market.
Each cart cost P19,000 or a total project cost of P952,000.
“Salamat sa DOLE,” said Manong Toto, a beneficiary. “Pinaagi sa NegoKart makabaligya ako sang ‘bananacue’ kag iban nga pagkaon para sa palangabuhi-an sang akon pamilya.”
Aside from the NegoKart, Bello also committed to providing more employment opportunities under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program.
Speaking before the 180 punong barangays in the City of Iloilo, Bello said more beneficiaries coming from every barangay will benefit from the program.
“We have rolled out Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) to cushion the impact of the pandemic to the informal sector. We also have other programs to help the overseas Filipino workers and other labor sectors get back on their feet,” Bello shared.
During the briefing on DOLE and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration initiatives in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Western Visayas, Bello also committed to creating more employment opportunities under the TUPAD program in the Province of Iloilo.
“The livelihood assistance and employment opportunities brought by Sec. Bello are a reflection of the genuine concern of DOLE to the labor sector. We hope that the assistance will keep the workers on the right track and will improve their living conditions,” said DOLE Regional Office No. VI director Cyril Ticao.
Department of Budget and Management secretary Wendel Avisado who was also with Bello in the visit, said the projects are part of the present administration’s thrust to give back to the people the taxes they pay. “The local governments come first,” said Avisado.
Avisado and Bello visited Iloilo to show that Duterte Administration is seriously committed to improving the lives of the members of the labor sector.(DOLE-VI)
