BARMM government readies assistance to workers displaced by quarantine

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — The Bangsamoro government has allocated cash grants for private sector workers displaced by the anti-COVID-19 quarantine in five southern provinces and two cities.

Romeo Sema, labor and employment minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said Sunday the office of BARMM Chief Minister Hadji Ahod Ebrahim will fund the support package for employees of private establishments and drivers of passenger vehicles, trucks and tricycles.

"This humanitarian effort of the Ministry of Labor and Employment, the COVID-19 Assistance Program, will cover the entire Bangsamoro region," Sema said.

Sema said MOLE-BARMM shall release P5,000 for workers in the "formal sector," or those in offices and establishments, and P2,500 for informal sector workers.

He said the classification “informal workers” refer to drivers of rented vehicles, truck drivers and tricycle drivers.

Sema said they will disseminate this week the guidelines for the project and the documentary requisites for the individual cash assistance.

“We shall be announcing soon the mechanics of this program. This has full imprimatur of the chief minister of BARMM,” Sema said.

Sema said the program is meant to ease the plight of beneficiaries affected by the anti-coronavirus quarantine in the Bangsamoro region.

The Bangsamoro region covers Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, both in mainland Mindanao, the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, and the cities of Lamitan and Marawi.