A local fruit company gave P5,000 worth of its products to a Facebook user who previously mistook it as the labor agency.
On Wednesday, fruit producer Dole Philippines posted on Facebook that it granted the request of online user CJ Banasihan.
Banahisan earlier wrongly demanded money from Dole.
“He may not have gotten the money yet from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), but he received more than 5,000 pesos worth of our products for brightening up everyone’s day with his viral post,” the post read.
“After all, we believe that health is more important than money these days,” it added.
Remember the viral post mistaking us, Dole PH, for a different DOLE? Our conversation with CJ didn't stop there. #SunshineForAll ☀️
Posted by Dole PH on Tuesday, April 7, 2020
Banasihan posted photos of the packages he received and expressed his gratitude to Dole for its generosity.
“Thank you Dole Ph. I didn’t expect you to make my message real. And thank you to those who shared that’s why my post went viral. God bless us all,” he said.
Thank you Dole PH hindi ko inexpect na tototohanin nyo yung message ko. 😅😂 And thank you din sa mga nag share kaya…
Posted by CJ Banasihan on Sunday, April 5, 2020
Last March 24, Banasihan shared screenshots of his private message to Dole Philippines’ Facebook account. He asked them: “Ano na? Nasan na yung 5k namin?”
The social media account handler immediately responded to Banasihan clarifying that he messaged the account of the fruit company instead of the government’s agency.
Dole then provided the link of the official Facebook page of the Department of Labor and Employment to the online user.
The post was shared on Facebook more than 73,000 times and earned 33,000 reactions, as of writing.
Sorry na 😅 Dole PH
Posted by CJ Banasihan on Monday, March 23, 2020
In August 2017, state-run Philippine News Agency drew flak for running a story on the DOLE with Dole’s logo as the story’s main photo. The news agency later changed the photo and apologized for using erroneous photo.
The difference between DOLE and Dole
In a Facebook post on March 26, Dole, a company known for producing processed pineapple product, then made a clarification on the difference between the government agency’s name and theirs.
It admitted the similarities with the spelling and the logo colors. However, it said that the financial assistance they are hoping to receive will only come from the DOLE.
“DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) and Dole PH may share the same willingness to be of assistance and service to our countrymen during this trying time, pero hindi samin mangagaling ang P5,000 DOLE Financial Assistance but, what we provide are fruit products na rich din naman… pero in Vitamin C, from our fresh fruits, canned juices and fruit bowls,” it said.
The cash amelioration program
The financial aid being referred to by the fruit company is DOLE’s cash amelioration program that is eyed to benefit thousands of Filipino workers, particularly daily wage earners, severely affected by the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.
The Department of Budget Management last week said funds for the government’s social amelioration program during the COVID-19 outbreak will be made available to agencies within one to three days following submission of complete documents.
According to the latest report, DOLE was able to disburse P622 million in assistance funds to beneficiaries of its initiatives COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) and the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD)-Barangay ko, Bahay Ko (BKBK) program.
As of April 4, a total of 102,895 formal sector workers received P5,000 each under the CAMP and nearly 80,000 workers in the informal sector also benefited from TUPAD BKBK program.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III also said that DOLE’s financial support is different from the subsidy the Department of Social Welfare and Development and other agencies will provide, which amounts between P5,000 and P8,000 per beneficiary, under the new Bayanihan To Heal as One Act or Republic Act 11469.
“While the new law provides a cash and non-cash Emergency Subsidy Program (ESP) for two months based on the prevailing regional wage rates, DOLE’s CAMP is a one-time quarantine assistance,” Bello said.
