Gov. Albert Garcia receives check from AFAB administrator Emmanuel Pineda. Photo by Ernie Esconde
BALANGA CITY — The Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) on Monday granted the provincial government P3 million in cash as financial assistance for workers affected by the enhanced community quarantine due to Covid-19.
AFAB administrator Emmanuel Pineda and Bataan Gov. Albert Garcia signed the memorandum of agreement for the assistanceat the Capitol here.
“The grant will be used in the purchase of food, sanitary and health products, and water to provide economic relief for displaced workers at the Freeport Area of Bataan in Mariveles town,” AFAB information officer Hazel Keith Ellorin said.
She said that most of the 40,000 FAB workers under the “No Work, No Pay” status, mostly coming from surrounding municipalities in the province, were displaced due to the ECQ implementation.
“Taos-puso po naming inihahandog ang aming munting tulong bilang pagkilala sa pagtitiwala sa probinsiya ng Bataan na kayo po ang magiging daan para makarating ang aming tulong sa mga nangangailangan lalo na ang mga na-displaced workers ng FAB,” Pineda told the governor while handing the check.
Garcia, on the other hand, expressed his gratitude and said that the grant will be of big help.
“Pagsasamahanin natin ang halagang ito at ang pondo ng provincial government ganoon din ang tulong ng Department of Labor and Employment para sa ikabubuti ng mga apektadong FAB workers at low-income households sa lalawigan,” the governor said.
AFAB also gave last week a P3 million grant to the municipality of Mariveles led by Mayor Jocelyn Castaneda for the same purpose.