DSWD-7 gives aid to sugar mill workers

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 recently distributed financial assistance to workers who have been on “No Work, No Pay” arrangement for a month at a sugar milling company in the northern part of Cebu.

DSWD-7 said that 230 of the 240 employees from the different departments of this company who have been working as administrative staff and factory workers gathered to receive their financial assistance from the agency in the municipal gym of Medellin, Cebu.

Each of them received P5,000  in cash to support their family’s needs in this crisis.

Apart from the financial assistance from DSWD, the local government of Medellin also provided them with 10 kilos of rice.

Oliver Ian Sanjorjo, President of Associated Labor Union (ALU) Local 25, said that this is the first time that their company suspended their work for a period of one month.

“Nagpasalamat mi sa DSWD og sa local government namo dinhi nga naa sila gihatag nga ayuda para namo," Sanjorjo said, emphasizing that his work in the company is their family’s main source of income just like his other co-workers.

He said that after the milling season in the middle of May, employees have gone into forced leave or vacation for days with pay, and then they go back to work to do some repairs and services to prepare for the next milling season.

The company suspended their work from July 15 until August 15, leaving employees with no salary during those supposed working days and seeking assistance from the government.

Rona Noynay, wife of a sugar milling employee, shared that the assistance they received from the government was a great help to their family, especially since this crisis happened when their children were about to go back to school.

She said that during the suspension, her husband went to another place to look for jobs to meet their needs since his job was their main source of income.

“Makahilak ko sa hinabang na among nadawat, daghang salamat sa DSWD ug sa among LGU," she added. — JMD (FREEMAN)