News Release
Department of Labor and Employment
March 3, 2023
Php6.5M DOLE aid awarded to bioethanol workers
The Department of Labor and Employment through its Regional Office 6–Negros Occidental Field Office (DOLE RO 6–NOFO) facilitated the release of Php 4,286,573.25 to 491 bioethanol plant workers in Negros Occidental.
The DOLE Western Visayas region reported that under Republic Act 9367 or the “The Biofuel Act of 2006,” 80 percent of the levy collected from the bioethanol utilizing molasses as feedstock will be used to support the Social Amelioration Workers Program (SAWP) for the bioethanol workers.
Bioethanol fuel is mainly produced by the sugar fermentation process. It is principally used as a petrol substitute.
Victorias Milling Corporation (VMC), URC La Carlota Distillery, Asian Alcohol, and Kooll Company Incorporated, released the said Financial Benefit Fund (FBF) on December 28, 2022, January 6, 2023, and January 16, 2023, respectively.
The FBF released recently covers Calendar Year 2022. The amount received by the workers ranges from Php5,000.00 to Php20,000.00 depending on the company’s production.
Regional Director Atty. Sixto T. Rodriguez, Jr. directed the DOLE RO 6-NOFO to conduct an accurate and thorough profiling of the beneficiaries before its distribution to ensure that those who received the benefit are qualified under the Department Order 222-21 or the Revised Guidelines on the Implementation of the Social Amelioration and Welfare Program for Workers in the Biofuel Industry.
Apart from the FBF, a Php 2,304,000 financial assistance benefiting 1,152 bioethanol plant workers was also released by DOLE RO 6- NOFO to mitigate the impact brought by Tropical Storm Odette that hit Visayas and Mindanao areas on December 16, 2021. The torrential downpours, high gusts, floods, and storm surges damaged 10 million hectares of crop area and estimated damage of around 20 billion pesos.
To mitigate the calamity’s impact, a Php2,000 financial assistance was released to qualified bioethanol workers in the affected areas.
For Negros Occidental, the assistance covers the bioethanol plants of Kooll Company Inc., Universal Robina Corporation-La Carlota, San Carlos Bioenergy Corp, and Victorias Milling Corporation. jpm//fmdl
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Php6.5M tulong iginawad ng DOLE sa mga manggagawa sa bioethanol
Pinangasiwaan ng Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) sa pamamagitan ng Regional Office 6–Negros Occidental Field Office (DOLE RO 6–NOFO) ang pamamahagi ng Php 4,286,573.25 sa 491 manggagawa sa planta ng bioethanol sa Negros Occidental.
Iniulat ng DOLE Western Visayas region na sa ilalim ng Republic Act 9367 o ng “The Biofuel Act of 2006,” 80 porsiyento ng butaw na nakolekta mula sa bioethanol na gumagamit ng molasses bilang feedstock ay gagamitin para pondohan ang Social Amelioration Workers Program (SAWP) para sa mga manggagawa sa bioethanol.
Ang gasolina o panggatong na bioethanol ay gawa mula sa proseso ng pagbuburo ng asukal. Ito ay pangunahing ginagamit bilang kapalit ng petrolyo.
Naglabas ang Victorias Milling Corporation (VMC), URC La Carlota Distillery, Asian Alcohol, at Kool Company Incorporated ng Financial Benefit Fund (FBF) noong ika-28 ng Disyembre, 2022, ika 6 at ika-16 ng Enero, ng kasalukuyang taon, ayon sa pagbababanggit.
Ang FBF na inilabas kamakailan ay sumasaklaw sa taong 2022. Makatatanggap ang mga manggagawa ng halagang mula Php5,000.00 hanggang Php20,000.00, depende sa produksyon ng kompanya.
Ayon kay Regional Director Atty Sixto T. Rodriguez, Jr., kanyang inatasan ang DOLE RO 6-NOFO na magsagawa ng wasto at masusing pagpo-profile ng mga benepisyaryo bago ito ipamahagi upang matiyak na kwalipikado ang mga tatanggap ng naturang benepisyo sa ilalim ng Department Order 222-21 o ang Revised Guidelines on the Implementation of the Social Amelioration and Welfare Program for Workers in the Biofuel Industry.
Bukod sa FBF, nakinabang din ang 1,152 manggagawa sa bioethanol plan ng Php 2,304,000 tulong-pinansiyal mula sa DOLE RO 6-NOFO para sa mga naapektuhan ng Tropical Storm Odette na tumama sa mga lugar sa Visayas at Mindanao noong Disyembre 16, 2021, kung saan nasa 10 milyong ektarya ng pananim ang napinsala ng bagyo at baha na tinatayang nasa 20 bilyong piso ang halaga.
Upang mabawasan ang epekto ng kalamidad, naglabas ng P2,000 tulong-pinansiyal ang DOLE RO 6 na ipinamahagi sa mga kwalipikadong manggagawa ng bioethanol sa mga apektadong lugar.
Para sa Negros Occidental, kasama sa tumanggap ng tulong ang bioethanol plant ng Kooll Company Inc., Universal Robina Corporation-La Carlota, San Carlos Bioenergy Corp, at Victorias Milling Corporation. jpm//fmdl/ gmea
