“The focus of the program will be restoration of lost jobs first, before creation of new ones,” Marianito Roque, former labor chief serving as special consultant to Bello, said in an online briefing. Projects where augmented manpower would be deployed is also currently being determined with public works officials. The recovery plan is still also subject to approval by the interagency task force on emerging infectious diseases, which acts as the state policymaking body during the outbreak. Immediate reliefSo far, Bello said his agency has been focused on providing immediate relief assistance to workers through lump-sum cash aid. For displaced migrant workers, Bello said about 150,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) would be assisted through the department’s cumulative budget of P1.5 billion.

Source: Philippine Star April 30, 2020 08:15 UTC