Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III on Tuesday (February 03) signed the DOT-DOLE Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2021-001 (Amended Implementing Guidelines on Providing Financial Assistance and Cash-For-Work Program for Displaced Workers in the Tourism Sector) which amends the former JMC to further expand the coverage of beneficiaries to include Local Government-Licensed Tourism Support Service (TSS) enterprises, providers and associations of providers.
“With this amendment, the Cash Assistance Program under the Bayanihan II can benefit more displaced workers, especially those in the informal sector. We encourage our local government units (LGUs) and tourism enterprises (TEs) to extend assistance in the completion of documentary requirements for our affected tourism workers,” urged Secretary Puyat.
The JMC expanded coverage includes the following beneficiaries:
- Displaced Tourism Workers in DOT-Accredited Primary Tourism Enterprises;
- Displaced Tourism Workers in DOT-Accredited Secondary Tourism Enterprises;
- Displaced Tourism Workers in LGU-Licensed (Non-DOT-Accredited) Primary and Secondary Tourism Enterprises;
- Displaced TSS Providers;
- Displaced Workers of TSS Enterprises;
- Displaced Members of TSS Associations; and
- Members of registered CBTOs.
The JMC also provides that employees who have been recipients of the following programs are still entitled:
- Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Social Amelioration Program (SAP);
- DOLE COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) Under BAYANIHAN 1;
- Social Security Systems (SSS) Unemployment Benefits (starting April 1); and
- Department of Finance (DOF) Small Business Wage Subsidy (SBWS) (starting April 1).
The said circular also takes into special consideration displaced workers in Focused Tourism Destinations which refer to identified destinations or LGUs that are heavily dependent on tourism, such as island destinations, or top tourism sites as may be determined by the DOT Regional Office.
DOLE Secretary Bello said in his letter to the DOT, “As of February 02, 2021, a total of 183,499 workers from 9,728 establishments, organizations and associations nationwide were approved beneficiaries of the program. The payment for 158,166 workers amounting to Php790,830,000.00 were remitted to payment centers.”
Targeted beneficiaries are encouraged to get in touch with the designated Focal Persons of the DOT regional offices in their respective areas. The list is accessible through this link: https://tinyurl.com/3qoutwv8
A copy of the signed DOT-DOLE JMC 2021-001 may likewise be accessed through: https://tinyurl.com/1hfpmzqc
