ILO gives over P21M to 'Yolanda'-ravaged areas

MANILA, Philippines - The International Labour Organization (ILO) will give US$480,000 or more than P21 million, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), for livelihood programs in communities devastated by Super Typhoon Yolanda.

The DSWD signed a grant agreement with the ILO on Monday to support sustainable livelihood and community enterprise development in regions affected by Yolanda.

The grant agreement was inked by DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman and Director Lawrence Jeff Johnson of the ILO Country Office for the Philippines.

The agreement will cover 36 municipalities affected by Yolanda in Tacloban, Leyte; Northern Cebu; and Coron, Palawan.

The partnership will assist 1,200 vulnerable workers and guarantee minimum wage, social security, health, and accident insurance coverage.

Personal protective equipment such as masks, hats, gloves, boots, and protective clothing will also be provided to ensure safety at work.

The ILO estimated that about six million workers were affected when Yolanda struck the Philippines in November 2013.

Of these, 2.6 million workers were already invulnerable employment and living near or at the poverty line even before the onslaught of the storm.

While much progress has been made in rebuilding lives and livelihood within the first year since Yolanda struck, the country was hit by typhoons Ruby and Seniang in December 2014 which affected the same communities and thousands of vulnerable workers who still lack decent work and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

"This partnership with ILO will provide 'Yolanda' survivors with sustainable and decent sources of livelihood to help them regain normalcy in their lives.  By providing them with a sustainable source of livelihood, we are both ensuring that they can stand on their own feet and protecting them from being exploited,"Soliman said.

The project will continue until June 2015.

To date, more than 15,300 workers or 76,500 family members have been assisted through the ILO's emergency employment program in Coron, Northern Cebu, Leyte, Ormoc, and Tacloban.