Liloan looks after workers' welfare

CEBU, Philippines - The Association of Barangay Councils in Liloan town will provide financial support to Mayor Vincent Franco "Duke" Frasco's program that assists workers from the town who have been retrenched or their work hours shortened.

Leo Salundaguit, president of the Association of the Barangay Councils, said the association is extending a hand to the program because most of the beneficiaries who are voters come from the barangays.

Since 2008, the world has been experiencing a recession known as the Global Economic Crisis.

Local and international corporations located in the Province of Cebu have had to retrench and/or limit the number of work hours in order to cope with the crisis.

Liloan, with a population of over 100,000 as of 2009 and with the highest population growth rate in the entire Province of Cebu at 5.5 percent, is directly affected by the economic downturn.

The Lilo-an Unemployment Assistance Program (LUAP) is designed to aid currently unemployed constituents of the town.

Through the LUAP, an unemployed constituent of Liloan who qualifies as a beneficiary will receive weekly payments to compensate him for unearned wages (base salary exclusive of benefits and bonuses) during the period of unemployment. (FREEMAN)