MikeLigalig.com

Sugar workers in Negros Occidental will no longer have to worry about the effects of a prolonged off-milling season.

This was after the Sugar Tripartite Council (STC) and the Bureau of Rural Workers (BRW) has recently approved the allocation of P8.3-million fund aimed to assist sugar workers.

BRW director Alex E. Maraan said that the approved fund will help sugar workers to cope with the affects of the "tiempo muerto" or the off-milling season.

Of the total amount, Maraan said P7.9 million will go to Sugar Industry Foundation Inc. (SIFI) and P0.4 million to the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters to finance various projects.

The projects include food production, livelihood program such as vegetable and broiler production, temporary employment for barangay road repair, skills training on food preservation, organic fertilizer production, native chicken dispersal and growing, repair of sugar road, green charcoal production, socio-economic projects for sugar workers, and others.

Areas of coverage are upland barangays of La Carlota City, La Castellana, Pontevedra, Victorias, Manapla, Cadiz City, Silay City, EB Magalona, Bacolod City, Sagay City, Toboso, and Escalante City.

At least 20,000 sugar workers and their families will be benefited of the fund assistance. (PNA)