Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 18) — The Department of Labor and Employment has received an additional ₱1-billion in funding for its financial assistance program for workers, President Rodrigo Duterte revealed in his eighth weekly report to Congress on his administration’s fight against COVID-19.
This was sourced from canceled projects and special purpose funds, ₱246.13 billion of which has been released to various agencies, including the DOLE.
The DOLE earlier realigned ₱1.5-billion from its 2020 budget to fund aid for 300,000 more formal workers through its COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program or CAMP.
CAMP, which was first implemented on March 23, provides each worker ₱5,000 in cash, which will be processed through the payroll systems of their respective companies.
Duterte said in his report that 649,573 workers in the formal sector have received aid through CAMP, where a total of ₱3.29 billion is allotted.
Of the ₱246.13 billion in funding released from government savings within the executive department, the largest chunk went to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which received ₱196.04 billion, followed by a ₱30.82-billion assistance to cities and municipalities through the so-called Bayanihan Grant.
The Bayanihan to Heal as One Act allows Duterte to realign funding within the executive department towards the administration’s COVID-19 efforts.
CNN Philippines’ Xave Gregorio contributed to this report.
