The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Friday said it has begun extending help in the cleanup operations and assisting affected workers in Central Luzon following the oil spill incident involving sunken tanker MT Terra Nova.

As of 2 August, DOLE Region III has already started the profiling of affected fisherfolk and residents who will be provided with emergency employment through the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) program for the setting up and placement of organic oil spill booms.

A status report from DOLE Region III showed that a P45 million initial supplemental fund has been allocated to cover affected families who will be given emergency employment for 10 to 20 days in three Bataan districts.

The DOLE said it has engaged 1,357 TUPAD workers in Bataan to collect coconut husks and to make oil spill booms under the supervision of the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Offices of Limay, Balanga City, Orion, and Pillar.

These TUPAD beneficiaries also helped in the Typhoon Carina cleanup operations.

In Bulacan, a total of 1,350 TUPAD workers joined the cleanup and rehabilitation of flooded areas, and in the creation of organic booms through the collection of coconut husks, hair, and 1.5 milliliters of empty plastic bottles with caps.

The listing and profiling of affected individuals are ongoing in 18 oil spill-affected barangays.

Consultations were also conducted with the local government units of the coastal towns of Hagonoy, Paombong, Malolos, Bulakan, and Obando.

The Labor department also partnered with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Luzon for an P800,000-allotment for the 20-day work salaries of 50 TUPAD beneficiaries in Lubao, Pampanga and 30 in San Jose, Tarlac.

Meanwhile, the DOLE Central Office is set to approve a supplemental fund allocation of P237,802,054.74 for the severely affected areas in Bataan, Bulacan, and Pampanga.