There are 1,280 tourism workers whose jobs have been affected by the wastewater spill at the Universal Robina Corp. (URC) ethanol distillery plant in Negros Oriental and from Typhoon “Tino” in Negros Occidental, a tourism official said on Friday, Nov. 14.
Affected in Negros Oriental are the tourism workers from Bais City and Manjuyod, said Krisma Rodriguez, tourism regional director for Western Visayas and Negros Island Region in a concurrent capacity.
Rodriguez said they gathered the list of the tourism workers and endorsed it to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for provision of family food packs for immediate assistance, she said.
They may also qualify for the Emergency Cash Transfer that is about P5,000 per family, she said.
The affected tourism workers include tour guides, boat men and those who work in accommodation establishments, she added.
She said focus should be on badly hit roads and bridges that lead to tourism destinations.
Rodriguez said the huts in Suyak Island in Sagay City were also damaged by the typhoon.*