Talisay gardeners seek release of salaries

CEBU, Philippines - Some job order workers assigned to cultivate and plant vegetable seedlings at the garden adjacent to Talisay City Plaza are asking Mayor Johnny V. De los Reyes for the release of their salaries for the past month.

De los Reyes' Green Valley Program was launched early this year and employed JOs who are paid P245 per day.

One of the workers, Maria (not her real name), revealed they had been working at the garden and expecting to receive salary, but to no avail.

She said they already sought the assistance of Dumlog Barangay Captain Nelson Abellana and the latter referred them to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

In a separate interview with The FREEMAN, City Administrator John Yre De los Reyes said the JOs who have not received their salary are not being funded by the city but by the cash-for-work program of the DSWD.

The cash-for-work program, one of the pro-poor interventions under the Aquino government, offers a daily wage of P204 to the 302 workers who render community services in the city.

The program also provides temporary work for out-school-youth and unemployed heads of families as way of mitigating hunger and alleviating poverty.

"Nakadungog ko niana pero naa ma'y mga job order workers assigned sa Green Valley program nga nakadawat sa ilang salary pero naay uban wala pa kay under man sa cash-for-work program," De los Reyes said.

Zenaida Cervantes of the DSWD explained they could not release the salaries at the moment since one of the signatories has not signed yet. (FREEMAN)