The Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office IV-A, through its Quezon Provincial Office (DOLE-QPO), together with the Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC) recently conducted an information-dissemination campaign to apprise the biodiesel workers in the province about the benefits obtainable under the Social Amelioration and Welfare Program (SAWP) and how to apply for the program.
During the campaign held at JNJ Oil Industries, in Brgy. Isabang, Lucena City, Mr. Kim Darren Pabilonia, SAWP Focal Person of DOLE QPO, discussed the various assistance provided by the program such as death and maternity benefits, scholarship and livelihood projects.
“The amount that beneficiaries would get under the maternity and death benefit assistance is indicated in Department Order No. 225, Series of 2021. Furthermore, the provision of tools, equipment, and materials, including start-up capital, which will be granted either in working capital/cash or in kind which are considered important in the start-up, improvement, or restoration of the beneficiaries' livelihood, is also covered by this Department Order,” he said.
Similar campaigns were also held in Tantuco Enterprises Inc. in Brgy. Isabang, Tayabas City and Mt. Holly Coco Industrial Inc. in Brgy. Domoit, Lucena City.
Meanwhile, a SAWP project monitoring activity was also conducted at the Yakap at Halik Multi-Purpose Cooperative Quezon 2 (YHMPCQ2) in Padre Burgos, Quezon for their Direct Copra Marketing for Coco Methyl Ester (CME) Feedstock project. YHMPCQ2 is an accredited supplier of Copra Feedstocks to JNJ Oil Industries, Inc.
According to Mr. Armel Amparo, its General Manager, the P3,000,000 grant given by DOLE which was given in three tranches was used by them as capital for copra-buying from its members at more competitive price and the income from the grant and current capital were used to purchase a pay loader and truck.
"DOLE's livelihood support to us is very timely, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic. This really helped us earn extra income for the daily needs of our family," one member stated.
DOLE Quezon Provincial Office Head Mr. Edwin T. Hernandez mentioned that the objective of the advocacy campaign and evaluation effort is to pinpoint the variables that influence the project's viability and constraints. The issues of efficacy, efficiency, impact, and relevance are also covered. With this, DOLE QPO could identify and raise strategic problems and come up with solutions to help the program achieve its goals.
SAWP is a social amelioration scheme instituted under Republic Act No. 9367 (An Act to Direct the Use of Biofuels, Establishing for this Purpose the Biofuel Program, Appropriating Funds, Thereof, and for Other Purposes, or the ‘Biofuels Act of 2006’). it seeks to improve the socioeconomic well-being of biofuel sector workers and their families through an augmentation in income and access to productive resources, social protection coverage, the provision of livelihood and employment opportunities. ###
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DOLE QUEZON NAGSAGAWA NG ‘ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN’ PARA SA SAWP
Kamakailan ay nagsagawa ng information-dissemination campaign ang Department of Labor and Employment Quezon Provincial Office (DOLE QPO) kasama ang Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC) upang ipaalam sa mga manggagawa ng biodiesel ang mga benepisyong maaaring makukuha sa ilalim ng Social Amelioration and Welfare Program (SAWP) at kung paano mag-aplay sa programa.
Sa ginanap na kampanya sa JNJ Oil Industries, tinalakay ni G. Kim Darren Pabilonia, SAWP Focal Person ng DOLE QPO, ang iba't ibang tulong na ibinigay ng programa tulad ng death and maternity benefits, scholarship at proyektong pangkabuhayan.
“Ang halaga na makukuha ng mga benepisyaryo sa ilalim ng maternity at death benefit assistance ay nakasaad sa Department Order No. 225, Series of 2021. Higit pa rito, ang pagkakaloob ng mga kasangkapan, kagamitan, at materyales, kabilang ang panimulang kapital, na ipagkakaloob alinman sa working capital/cash o in-kind na mahalaga sa pagsisimula, pagpapabuti, o pagpapanumbalik ng kabuhayan ng mga benepisyaryo, ay saklaw din ng Department Order na ito,” aniya.
Nagsagawa rin ng mga katulad na kampanya sa Tantuco Enterprises Inc. sa Brgy. Isabang, Tayabas City at Mt.Holly Coco Industrial Inc. sa Brgy. Domoit, Lucena City.
Samantala, isinagawa din ang SAWP project monitoring activity sa Yakap at Halik Multi-Purpose Cooperative Quezon 2 (YHMPCQ2) sa Padre Burgos, Quezon para sa kanilang Direct Copra Marketing for Coco Methyl Ester (CME) Feedstock project. Ang YHMPCQ2 ay isang akreditadong supplier ng Copra Feedstocks sa JNJ Oil Industries, Inc.
Ayon kay G. Armel Amparo, ang General Manager nito, ang P3,000,000 grant na ibinigay ng DOLE na ibinigay sa tatlong bahagi ay ginamit nila bilang kapital para sa pagbili ng copra mula sa mga miyembro nito sa mas tamang halaga at ang kita mula sa grant at kasalukuyang kapital ay ginamit sa pagbili ng pay loader at trak.
"Napapanahon po ang livelihood support sa amin ng DOLE, lalo na ngayong COVID-19 pandemic. Talagang nakatulong ito sa amin na magkaroon ng dagdag kita para sa pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan ng aming pamilya," sabi ng isang miyembro.
Binanggit ng DOLE Quezon Provincial Office Head na si G. Edwin T. Hernandez na ang layunin ng kampanya ng adbokasiya at pagsusuri sa mga proyekto ay matukoy ang mga variable na nakakaimpluwensya sa posibilidad at mga hadlang ng proyekto. Sinasaklaw din ang mga isyu ng pagiging epektibo, kahusayan, epekto, at kaugnayan. Sa pamamagitan nito, maaaring matukoy ng DOLE QPO at magtaas ng mga estratehikong problema at makabuo ng mga solusyon upang matulungan ang programa na makamit ang mga layunin nito.
Ang SAWP ay isang social amelioration scheme na itinatag sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. 9367 (An Act to Direct the Use of Biofuels, Establishing for this Purpose the Biofuel Program, Appropriating Funds, Thereof, and for Other Purposes, o ang 'Biofuels Act of 2006'). Ito ay naglalayong mapabuti ang pangangailangang sosyoekonomiko ng mga manggagawa sa sektor ng biofuel at kanilang mga pamilya sa pamamagitan ng pagpapalaki ng kita at pag-access sa mga produktibong mapagkukunan ng kita, saklaw ng social protection, ang pagbibigay ng kabuhayan at mga oportunidad sa trabaho.
by:
FRANZ RAYMOND J. AQUINO
Senior Labor and Employment Officer
