DSWD taps 'Sendong' victims in cash-for-work program

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has enrolled young victims of tropical storm “Sendong” in Cagayan de Oro City in its cash-for-work program to help clean up evacuation centers.

The DSWD said the youth-beneficiaries would receive P215 per day for five days.

The cash-for-work program provides cash in exchange for community service, such as maintaining the cleanliness of evacuation centers and repair of community facilities during disasters, the DSWD said.

Evacuees were organized into committees such as Food and Non-Food, Shelter; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH); Protection, Psychosocial and Grievance; Health and Nutrition; and Sports Recreation and Peace and Order to put order in the evacuation center, and “to make them (Sendong victims) feel useful.”

Sendong brought heavy rainfall to Northern Mindanao and Central Visayas, spawning floods and landslides that killed over a thousand of people.

Meanwhile, in Tuguegarao City, at least 10,000 students in Cagayan Valley will be hired on a part-time basis under the Special Program for Employment (SPES) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Grace Pomar, SPES coordinator, said the students would be employed from 22 to 52 days and paid not less than the prevailing minimum wage in the region.

DOLE will pay 40 percent of the salary and the remaining 60 percent by the participating employers.

Pomar said interested applicants can visit any DOLE office and local government units.   – With Raymund Catindig