MANILA, Philippines – In one order, Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz further simplified and fast-tracked access to DOLE’s livelihood and emergency employment programs.
In a statement, DOLE said, self-employed workers with insufficient income, marginalized and land-less farmers, unpaid family workers, parents of child laborers, low-wage and seasonal workers, and workers displaced or to be displaced by natural and man-made disasters could now easily access or avail of the DOLE’s Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Programs (DILEEP) , with the issuance of Department Order No. 137-14 Series of 2014 by Secretary Baldoz.
The Department Order No. 137-14 Series of 2014 with the full title, “Guidelines in the Implementation of the Department of Labor and Employment Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Programs (DILEEP)” gives a comprehensive but simplified and rationalized guidelines governing the implementation of the programs.
“The times call for us in the DOLE to ensure that whatever intervention or assistance we provide to informal sector and vulnerable workers so that they can immediately stand in their own feet in calamitous situation or period of income shocks and risks is simple, clear, transparent, and easy to access. This is what this guidelines are for,” Baldoz said shortly after she signed the order.
Baldoz said the guidelines is the realization of the DOLE’s strategy to enhance access to emergency employment and livelihood which seeks to strengthen social protection for vulnerable workers, a key target outcome of the DOLE.
“Through convergence, the DOLE facilitates and provides access to emergency employment and livelihood opportunities to shield vulnerable workers and their families from risks due to natural and man-made disasters and enable them to rebuild their lives with better access to social protection and sustainable income sources,” she said.
The DILEEP seeks to contribute to poverty reduction and reduce vulnerability to risks of the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized workers through emergency employment and promotion of entrepreneurship and community enterprises. It has two components: (1) Kabuhayan, or livelihood, and (2) Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) or emergency employment.
Under the guidelines, all DOLE livelihood programs , namely, the Women Workers Employment and Entrepreneurship Development (WEED); Promotion of Rural Employment through self-Employment and Entrepreneurship Development (PRESEED); Tulong Alalay sa taong May Kapansanan (TULAY); Workers Income Augmentation Program (AMP); Working Youth Center (WYC); and Youth Entrepreneurship Support (YES) are integrated into the Kabuhayan Program.
“Convergence of services, technology-driven, resource-based, and sustainable livelihood; and full decentralization of approving authority are the principles of the order that should guide implementers of the DILEEP,” Baldoz explained.
“It prescribes clear standards, transparent procedures for availment and release of funds, and reporting, monitoring, and evaluation. It ensures accountabilities of the accredited co-partners (ACPs) and beneficiaries and of the DOLE Regional Directors for all project funds releases. It requires convergence of relevant programs and services of government agencies and private organizations to effectively assist and provide complete support to the community enterprise,” she further said.
DOLE Regional Offices shall implement the Kabuhayan and TUPAD programs either by direct administration or through an ACP. Under the ACP scheme, qualified co-partners are peoples’ organizations; workers’ associations; unions/federations; state universities and colleges/higher educational institutions/national technical-vocational schools; local government units; cooperatives; and national government agencies.
