NEWSFLASH

CORDILLERA WORKERS GET P1.4-M AID

Manila, April 21, 2000 - The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has released P1,431,828 for Cordillera workers and their organization under its safety net and livelihood programs.

Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma distributed the checks to the recipients during a program held at the Rajah Soliman Hotel in Baguio City following the processing of the applications by the DOLE-Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) under Director Belinda L. Villafuerte.

Laguesma said the government was ready to support the livelihood and self-improvement initiatives of workers, especially those displaced as a result of globalization and trade liberalization. He said thousands of workers has benefited from the safety net program of the DOLE.

The funds, granted to Cordillera workers, Laguesma said, were classified under the workers organization and development program (WODP), the rural works program (RWP), the OWWA expanded livelihood programs, and TULAY 2000 program of the DOLE.

The WODP fund releases consisted of library and training grants. Library grant recipients were Philex Mining Supervisory Employes Union, P250,000, and the Lepanto Employes Union, P250,000.

Training grants were given to the Lepanto Security Force Union, P39,375; Philex Mining Supervisory EmployesUnion, P56,000; Lepanto Local Staff Union, P55,000; PILTEL Employes Association-BOS, P35,200, and NAMAWU Local 101, P68,400.

Recipients of RWP funds were Philex Mining Corp., P100,000; LGU Kapangan, Benguet, P56,862; LGU Villaviciosa Abra, P121,410, and LGU Daguioman, Abra, P53,946.

RWP funds are used as counterpart funds by local government units, usually to pay the salaries of workers, in undertaking infrastructure and other employment-generating projects in their localities.