PIA Press Release Thursday, January 19, 2012 Short term employment beneficialPASIL, Kalinga, Jan. 19 (PIA) -- The provision of the Emergency Employment Program (EEP) in Pasil did not only help the families cope with the effects of the typhoon but also provided them a chance to earn extra income.Pasil Public Employment Service Office (PESO) Manager Venancio Magangat said most of the beneficiaries of the EEP here are dependent on their small farm for a living that some could only produce just enough for their daily sustenance, thus, the occurrence of calamities like typhoons does nothing but worsen their situation. Magangat related that some of the hired laborers on a daily basis could not earn the EEP daily rate of P229.45 being given by the government , and their short-term employment in effect was an opportunity to earn additional income for their families. Aside from providing employment, the EEP, he said, has also facilitated the immediate clearing and opening of roads in the area which is usually left impassable due to landslides and debris such as fallen trees and fallen boulders. Most of the time clearing of the roads is done voluntarily by motorists and commuters, he said. Out of the 185 hired laborers in the province, 30 came from Pasil who worked on the clearing and cleaning of two road sections. A flagship program of the Aquino government, the EEP is aimed at providing temporary employment to the typhoon stricken areas helping families as they strive to regain their livelihood destroyed by the calamities. DOLE Provincial Chief Dr. Avelina Manganip said Kalinga was one of the provinces in the region identified to benefit from the program after being hit by Typhoon Pedring and Quiel which had affected the livelihood of many families in the the area. The laborers in the province she said were hired in partnership with the municipal government to do clearing and cleaning of public structures, farm-to-market roads and waterways identified by the local government units.At least 15 laborer she said were hired for each project. Manganip said wages of the laborers were given in cash instead of checks so that they can use it immediately. Each laborer was able to bring home P3,441.75 for 15-days work. (JDP/GGD- PIA CAR, Kalinga) |