MANILA - The Department of Labor and Employment said Friday it would distribute P13 billion in cash aid to workers grappling with the coronavirus pandemic.

The funds from the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2) will be split among the following programs, said Labor Undersecretary Joji Aragon.

• P5 billion one-time assistance to some 993,000 displaced workers of the formal sector
• P6 billion for emergency employment of around 863,000 informal sector workers
• P2 billion for 200,000 repatriated migrant workers

“Siguro by this week or early part of next week, rolling na po ito, meaning tuloy-tuloy na,” she said in a Laging Handa public briefing.

(Perhaps by this week or early part of next week, this will be rolling, continuous already.)

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Bayanihan 2 is the Philippines' second COVID-19 emergency measure which authorizes the government to spend P140 billion to help sectors affected by the pandemic. The law also earmarks P25 billion in standby funds should the government need more money to finance COVID-19-related projects.

• What you need to know about Bayanihan 2: PH's 2nd COVID-19 relief package
• Recto seeks Bayanihan 2 extension after DBM fails to release funds to agencies

The pandemic has left some 3.3 million Filipinos jobless, according to the labor department’s records. This is fewer than the Philippine Statistics Authority’s estimate of 4.6 million jobless Filipinos as of July.

The health department on Thursday recorded 1,761 new coronavirus infections and 33 more deaths. In a bulletin, the agency said total confirmed infections had risen to 376,935, while deaths had reached 7,147.

New COVID-19 cases in the Philippines increased by fewer than 2,000 in 7 of the last 10 days. - With a report from Reuters