DOLE-7 Gives Assistance Benefits to K-12 Affected Teachers

Four teachers in Cebu City affected by the implementation of the K-12 Program received financial assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-7).

According to DOLE-7 Regional Director Exequiel  Sarcauga, the beneficiaries, who were teaching at the Rogationist Seminary College in Punta Princesa, Cebu City are the following: Jovanni Villacora, Ethel Bolen, Rowena Japitan and Emma del Olmo.

Sarcauga said the financial assistance was released to beneficiaries earlier this month at the DOLE Regional Office.

The teachers will receive financial assistance for six months under the Department’s DOLE Adjustment Measures Program (DOLE-AMP), one of the government’s mitigation schemes in addressing the adverse effects of the implementation of K to 12.

ForSeptember 2016, full time teachers Villaroca and Bolen both received P25,083.33 each while Japitan and del Olmo, who were part time teachers, received P8,610 each.

Under the rules and guidelines of the DOLE-AMP, the amount shall be based on the prevailing median salary of the affected Higher Education Institution (HEI) personnel, nature of the appointment, per region, the affected or lost salary, whichever is lower.

“The beneficiaries are expected to comply with our so-called conditional requirements for them to continually receive the financial assistance. If not, then, that will serve as basis for the termination of ther availment of the program,” said Sarcauga.

Each month within the duration of the giving of financial assistance, affected HEI personnel must meet the following requirements:

•      Make job contacts
•     Participate in employment facilitation programs offered by the DOLE
•     Participate in livelihood programs provided by DOLE, if applicable
•     Attend skills training offered by TESDA, if applicable
•     Submit progress reports and necessary supporting documents within the prescribed period.

“We want to inform interested parties that they may submit needed documents not only to the DOLE Regional Office but also to the DOLE’s Field Offices as well as to the nearest Public Employment Service Office (PESO),” added Sarcauga.

DOLE-AMP is formed pursuant to the DOLE-DepEd-TESDA-CHED Joint Guidelines on the implementation of the labor and management component of Republic Act No. 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, or the K-12 Program, said DOLE-7 Labor Communication Officer Luchel Senarlo-Taniza.

It will accommodate needed assistance of employees who cannot transfer work to Senior High School by way of providing them financial support; employment facilitation,training and livelihood, per the DOLE’s three-dimensional support strategy, Taniza added.

All displaced HEI personnel, regardless of tenure and position, is covered by DOLE-AMP.

However, the following are not covered; government employees whose part-time teaching load only is affected,  permanent public HEI personnel whose part-time teaching load only is affected and substitute teachers or professors with a maximum tenure of three months, according to Taniza. (rmn/jsme/PIA7-Cebu with DOLE-7 report)