Gov’t to shoulder 25% of displaced persons’ pay under emergency employment program

By Dominic I. Sanchez

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Zamboangueños who were displaced by the crisis in the city may be hired by private companies through the government’s Emergency Employment Program (EEP), where said companies will only have to shoulder 75 percent of their salaries while the government will provide 25 percent counterpart.

According to Regional Director Sisinio Cano of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-9, P2 million has already been allotted to pay the 25 percent of the wages of some 800 displaced persons in the city.

“Under this program, the total displaced workers hired shall not exceed 20 percent of the total number of existing workforce of each participating establishment and whose employment period shall not exceed six months,” said Director Cano.

The employment may be extended by their respective establishments upon satisfactory performance. However, after six months, they will have to shoulder the full wages of these workers.

“The employment period is from November until the end of December this year,”  Director Cano explained.

Moreover, participating establishments, as per the memorandum of agreement are tasked to enroll the displaced persons with the Social Security System (SSS), PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG, if the latter are not yet members.

The DOLE is scheduled to hold a jobs’ fair in the city on Dec. 5. (PIA9)