THE DEPARTMENT of Labor and Employment said it has yet to receive any notice of closure from private schools hit by the Covid19 pandemic.

“We haven’t received notice of closure from educational institutions. Usually, if a company ceased operations, they must notify the DOLE on the number of workers that will be affected, and they have to explain to us the reason for closure or dismissal. So far we have no records of such,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.

He gave assurances that his agency would provide assistance to displaced workers once DOLE receives notices of closures.

“If educational institutions will decide to close, they must notify us and then, in order to be able to avail of Covid19 Adjustment Measures Program benefit, they have to give us their list of workers who will lose their job so we can give them, initially, cash assistance,” he said.

He added that the agency can initially provide a one-time dole out of P5,000 under the department’s financial assistance program CAMP but a displaced worker might also avail of the livelihood program.

Bello reminded private schools that tenured employees are entitled to separation pay.

In September, the Department of Education disclosed that 865 private schools will suspend operations for this school year.