Naga launches village employment program

NAGA CITY --- The local government unit (LGU) here has launched a community employment program (CEP) aimed at providing unemployed residents with a fair wage to empower them to spend thus helping businesses recover from revenue losses as a result of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Councilor Joselito S.A. Del Rosario, author of City Ordinance No. 2020-079 or the Naga City CEP, said that the target beneficiaries of the program are members of low-income households who will be employed as part of social equity and as catalysts to trigger a wave of spending from the bottom to the top of the supply chain.

EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM. Councilor Joselito S.A. Del Rosario (3rd from left) holds a copy of City Ordinance 2020-079 which established the Naga City Community Employment Program during last week flag raising ceremony. Mayor Nelson S. Legacion (2nd from left), Vice Mayor Cecilia V. De Asis and City Councilor Ghiel G. Rosales are also shown in photo. JBN/DENGMALATE/CEPPIO

Aside from the CEP’s economic benefit, Del Rosario said “that will give them a fair wage and at the same time will improve government facilities in the barangays.”

The ordinance, which was approved by Mayor Nelson Legacion on Monday, Aug. 24, has three objectives: generate short-term employment for low income households (1 person/household) displaced by the Covid-19 pandemic; maintain public infrastructure facilities, and public spaces, and; trigger demand to as many levels of the supply chain by targeting households, which will most likely spend wage income in neighborhood stores.

Aside from projects that will be identified by the city government, residents of barangay may also identify projects, which they can submit to the NCCEP Task Group through messages the social media accounts of the city government or other channels.

Submitted proposed projects should contain pictures of the actual site, exact location, and nature of work to be done.

Upon receipt of the proposed projects, the task group, after checking the eligibility and determination of the project’s scope of work, will forward the proposed projects to the City Engineer’s Office or other implementing unit of the city government for preparation of the program of work (POW).

The city mayor will conduct the review and approval of the proposed projects and their POW.

The implementing unit shall coordinate with the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) for the employment of the workers.

Aside from the implementing unit, the barangay or a community organization may also be authorized to supervise the implementation of the project. Work accomplishments shall be documented by the implementing unit, which shall prepare the payroll with corresponding “after picture” of the project.

Workers under CEP will be paid on a weekly basis.