August 12 ------ More than 1,300 individuals affected by the oil spill in Bataan were provided temporary jobs, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said. DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said an initial budget of P45 million was allocated to provide alternative livelihood to 1,357 affected workers under the labor agency’s Tulong Pang-hanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program.
“Initially, naglaan ng P45 million para sa mga napinsalang pamilya. Some 1,357 TUPAD workers are helping sa paglilinis at pagkolekta ng husk at hair…na ginagamit sa paggawa ng spill boom. Hindi lamang po mangingisda at magsasaka ang pupuwedeng matulungan,” Laguesma told reporters. “Hindi lamang sa temporary employment, cleaning, pagsasaayos ng nadestroy na kapaligiran, magbabahagi rin po ng DOLE, sa pamamagitan ng regional offices, ng ating livelihood assistance sa naapektuhan,” he added.
Meanwhile, more than P20 million in funding was also allocated to assist the adversely impacted workers in Calabarzon, specifically Cavite. “Nakapag-payout na tayo initially ng mahigit 1,000 na mga apektado sa oil spill,” said DOLE Region IV-A Director Roy Buenafe. “We are targeting 7,000 to 8,000 na apektado sa naiiwan pa na anim na bayan sa Cavite. Ito ay ang coastal areas ng Naic, Bacoor, Tanza, Maragondon, at naiiwang bayan sa District 7. ‘Yun ang target natin sa Cavite area. Di lang mangingisda, na-profile na po natin pati vendors dahil hindi na nabebenta ang isda dahil sa takot ng epekto ng oil spill,” he added.
MT Terranova capsized and sank off Lamao Point in Limay, Bataan, on July 25. One of the crew members died in the incident. A state of calamity was declared in nine coastal local government units in Cavite due to the oil spill incident from MTKR Terranova, according to the Office of Civil Defense Calabarzon. “'No catch” and “no sell zone” were imposed in the concerned areas.
The government of Cavite has sought P10 million per day in compensation for affected fishermen, as the cost of damage is anticipated to tally up to over P1 billion. The oil leak has also caused Bataan to declare another state of calamity following the onslaught of tropical cyclone Carina in the province.
Source: gmanetwork.com
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