Php2.3-M rice assistance benefits flood-affected sugarcane workers

A total of 1,840 sacks of well milled rice amounting to Php2,300,000 were benefited by the same number of sugarcane field workers affected by flood in northern Negros Occidental.

The areas covered were those that were devastated by the flooding and weather disturbances in 2021 which includes the cities of Talisay, Silay, Victorias and Cadiz as well as the municipalities of E.B. Magalona and Manapla.

The beneficiaries are legitimate sugarcane field workers and had not availed of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) TUPAD program.

DOLE RO 6-Negros Occidental Field Office (DOLE RO 6-NOFO) Head Mary Agnes N. Capigon together with the local government officials of the City of Victorias and District Tripartite Council Field Workers Sector Representative Rolando O. Rillo started the distribution of the rice assistance to 402 field workers of the Victorias Milling District at the Victorias Coliseum last month.

SAP Officers of DOLE RO 6-NOFO continued the rice distribution at Cadiz City (420 sacks), Talisay City (193 sacks), Manapla (223 sacks), Silay City (187 sacks) and E.B. Magalona (154 sacks).

To date, 1,579 sacks of rice were already distributed out of the 1,840 and the distribution is still on-going as per directives of Regional Director Atty. Sixto T. Rodriguez, Jr. to speed up the delivery of assistance to every beneficiary.

The rice assistance aims to help the sugarcane field workers of the areas devastated by the flooding and weather disturbances in 2021.

The beneficiaries selected were nominated by the local governments units as well as the field workers sector representative of the areas covered.

This project was funded under the Social Amelioration Program-Socio Economic Projects Fund -Calamity Assistance Fund.

Sugarcane workers were ameliorated from the lien imposed on sugar to be used for said purpose.  80% of which were released to them as amelioration bonus while the remaining 20% is used for purposes such as maternity, death and other programs including rice assistance.