DSWD, DoLE gear up for assistance to Boracay workers

THE DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), as chair of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, has called for an inter-agency social response for workers and families who will be affected by the temporary closure of the popular tourist destination Boracay. “We know that the closure will have significant negative effects on households and employment. We will work as best as we can to mitigate these effects by engaging in convergence efforts with other government agencies,” DSWD Officer in Charge Emmanuel A. Leyco said in a statement released Friday. The government has announced that Boracay, which has been plagued by environmental abuse, will be closed for six months starting April 26. Mr. Leyco said he already had preliminary discussions with the respective heads of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as well as the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) for synchronized response efforts. The DSWD is set to activate two operations centers in Aklan on April 26, one in Boracay and one in the mainland in front of the Malay municipal hall, to facilitate the release of assistance and emergency welfare services. Meanwhile, the DoLE-Western Visayas office said affected workers can avail of a one-month emergency employment from the agency while other assistance programs are also being prepared. DoLE said more than 17,000 workers are expected to be displaced by the island closure. —