Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 20) — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) released on Thursday the guidelines for the issuance of the ₱5,000 one-time cash aid to private sector workers affected by Alert Level 3.
A total of ₱1 billion will be allocated for the program, called the COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) 3, according to Department Order No. 232.
DOLE said this will “cover workers and individuals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic where Alert Level 3 or higher was declared from January 2022 onwards.”
Excluded are government employees, as well as beneficiaries of the DOLE-Department of Tourism CAMP Odette+ program. Foreign nationals are also not eligible recipients, excluding “persons of concern,” or refugees, returnees, stateless people, internally displaced, and asylum-seekers.
Applications may be submitted either online on in DOLE offices by affected private establishments or employees, Labor Undersecretary Benjo Benavidez said in a press briefing.
To qualify, an establishment must have temporarily or permanently closed during the implementation of Alert Level 3 or higher in their area. Workers must have also been either temporarily laid off or retrenched during the period.
The following are the requirements for application:
For establishments:
– Submission of an online report of temporary or permanent closure through the DOLE Establishment Reporting System covering January 2022 onwards
– Latest payroll or any of these alternative documents: proof of payment of wages via logbook or ledger; employment contract; cash voucher or petty cash voucher; authority to debit account sent by employer to bank for the wage of employees; SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG Alphalist or list of remittances; or list of employees with 13th month pay
For workers:
– Clear photo of the employee holding a valid government-issued ID
– Duly notarized proof of employment covering the period of Alert Level 3 in their area
The DOLE clarified that workers already applied for by their employers or organization heads are barred from sending individual applications.
It said submissions will be evaluated by the concerned regional offices within three working days from their receipt.
If approved, the financial aid shall be issued directly to the beneficiary through bank transfer or electronic payment facility within two weeks upon receipt of notice of approval. Beneficiaries who failed to claim the money within 30 days from the date of disbursement “will be subjected to replacement from the roster of approved applications.”
The department order shall take effect immediately after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least one newspaper of general circulation, the DOLE said.
It earlier estimated that the one-time assistance would benefit around 200,000 formal sector workers in Metro Manila and other areas.
The department also previously released an advisory urging employers in the private sector to extend paid leave, on top of existing leave benefits, to workers who have to isolate or go under quarantine due to COVID-19.
