MANILA, Philippines — Around P40 million in cash-for-work aid for pandemic-displaced informal workers in Quezon City has been taken by scammers, according to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.
The secretary asked the National Bureau of Investigation to go after the scammers after at least 100 residents from Quezon City admitted they posed as beneficiaries of the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) emergency employment program to get the aid even though they did not do any work.
The pseudo beneficiaries said they were given P1,000-P2,000 each while the so-called coordinators took the lion’s share of around P5,000-P6,000.
Bello suspended the implementation of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers program in parts of Quezon City.
The labor coalition Nagkaisa said similar irregularities had been reported in San Fernando, Masbate, and urged the DOLE to expand the investigation.