COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (Historical Original 2020 Guidelines)

Historical original CAMP guidelines, approved 17 March 2020. The original January 2020 retroactivity clause and publication-based effectivity clause are reproduced separately. Later CAMP issuances are not consolidated; this page does not describe an open current assistance program.

DOLE Department Order No. 209, Series of 2020 Published update 15 Oct 2026 21

COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program — Department Order No. 209, Series of 2020 (Historical)

Edition note. This is the original COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) guidelines, Department Order No. 209, Series of 2020, approved 17 March 2020. Its clause making it retroactive to January 2020 and its effectivity clause (three days after publication) are reproduced as issued. Later DOLE issuances are not consolidated into this text: Labor Advisory No. 12-A, Series of 2020 clarified the CAMP documentary requirements; Department Order No. 218, Series of 2020 set guidelines for CAMP under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act; and Department Order No. 232, Series of 2022 (approved 20 January 2022) set a CAMP for affected workers in areas under Alert Level 3 and up. This page does not describe an open assistance program.

DEPARTMENT ORDER NO. 209

Series of 2020

GUIDELINES ON THE ADJUSTMENT MEASURES PROGRAM FOR AFFECTED WORKERS DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019

In the interest of service and pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 922, Series of 2020 declaring a State of Public Health Emergency throughout the Philippines due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its impact on the country's economy, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) hereby promulgates the following Guidelines on the implementation of the COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP).

ARTICLE I — GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. — The State guarantees the protection of labor, promotion of full employment, and equality of employment opportunities for all. It is the policy of the State to uphold the people's constitutional rights to life and property, and provide maximum care, assistance and services to individuals and families affected by disaster, implement emergency rehabilitation projects to lessen the impact of disaster, and facilitate resumption of normal social and economic activities.1

The outbreak of COVID-19 constitutes an emergency that threatens public health and national security which requires a whole-of-government response including the implementation of urgent and critical measures to mitigate its effects and impact to the community, and prevent serious disruption of the functioning of government and the community.2

SEC. 2. Policy Objective. — This Guidelines seeks to ensure the effective and streamlined implementation of the CAMP. This Guidelines specifies the objectives and coverage, program assistance and corresponding requirements, and the procedures concerning the delivery of financial support as means of social protection and welfare for affected workers in the formal sector.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — The following terms, as used in this Guidelines, shall refer to:

  1. Affected establishments – private establishments that have implemented Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) as defined under DOLE Labor Advisory No. 09, Series of 2020 (i.e. reduction of workhours/workdays, rotation of workers, forced leave) or temporary closure as mitigating measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. Affected workers – workers in private establishments whose employment face or suffer interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as:
    1. Retained workers who do not receive regular wage – workers whose working hours and, therefore, regular wage is reduced due to the implementation of Flexible Work Arrangements, as defined under DOLE Labor Advisory No. 09, Series of 2020, (i.e. reduction of workhours/workdays, rotation of workers, forced leave) as mitigating measures enforced by the employer
    2. Suspended workers – workers whose employment is temporarily suspended by reason of the suspension of operations of the employer's business establishment
  3. Formal sector workers – workers in the formal economy, regardless of status, or those who are employed by any person acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an employer in relation to an employee.3

ARTICLE II — PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

SECTION 1. Program Description. — The CAMP is a safety net program that offers financial support to affected workers in private establishments that have adopted FWAs or temporary closure during the COVID-19 pandemic.

SEC. 2. Program Objectives. — The CAMP aims to provide financial support to affected workers in private establishments to mitigate the adverse economic impacts and reduction of income brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

SEC. 3. Period and Coverage. — The CAMP shall cover workers in private establishments affected by the COVID-19 pandemic from its onset in January 2020 until the lifting of the Stringent Social Distancing Measures in the National Capital Region on 14 April 2020, unless extended by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases4. Large establishments are highly encouraged to cover the full wages of employees within the one- (1) month community quarantine period.

SEC. 4. Exclusion. — Government employees are excluded from the program.

ARTICLE III — PROGRAM ASSISTANCE

SECTION 1. Financial Support. — This component shall provide affected workers with financial relief necessary to mitigate the immediate adverse economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Relative to DOLE Labor Advisory No. 11, Series of 2020, which states that workers' leaves of absence during the quarantine period are to be charged against their leave credits, the financial assistance may be used to cover remaining unpaid leaves of affected workers. A one-time financial assistance equivalent to Php 5,000.00 shall be provided to affected workers in lump sum, non-conditional, regardless of employment status.

SEC. 2. Employment Facilitation. — This component shall provide affected workers access to available job opportunities suitable to their qualifications through job matching, referral and placement services either for local or overseas employment, employment coaching, and labor market information.

ARTICLE IV — PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

SECTION 1. General Procedural Guidelines. — The following general procedural guidelines shall be observed in the availment of the program assistance by the affected workers through the MSMEs:

  1. Eligibility Requirements. Applicant must be a private establishment that has implemented FWAs or temporary closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. Documentary Requirements. Affected establishment must submit: (a) Establishment Report on the COVID-19 pursuant to Labor Advisory No. 9, Series of 2020; and (b) Company Payroll for the month prior the implementation of FWAs or temporary closure.
  3. Application Procedures
    1. Applications with complete documentary requirements shall be submitted online to the appropriate DOLE Regional Office or any of its Provincial/Field Offices.
    2. Applications shall be evaluated by the concerned DOLE Regional Office within three (3) working days from receipt thereof.
    3. The following documents depending on the status of evaluation shall be issued to the applicant by the concerned DOLE Regional Office within three (3) working days through electronic mail from the date thereof:
      1. For approved application, a Notice of Approval.
      2. For denied application, a Notice of Denial.
  1. Denial of Application. An application may be denied by the DOLE Regional Director upon determination of any of the following grounds:
    1. Ineligibility of applicant;
    2. Misrepresentation of facts in the application5; or
    3. Submission of falsified or tampered document.

SEC. 2. Component-Specific Procedural Guidelines. — Upon approval of the application by the Regional Director and upon receipt of the Notice of Approval by the beneficiary, the following procedures shall be observed based on desired program components:

  1. Financial Support
    1. Disbursement. The concerned DOLE Regional Office shall issue the financial support directly to the beneficiary's payroll account through bank transfer within two (2) weeks upon receipt.
    2. Completion. Beneficiaries who receive the financial support are considered to have completed the CAMP. A Notice of Completion shall be issued to the affected establishment within three (3) working days through electronic mail.
  2. Employment Facilitation. The concerned DOLE Regional/Field/Satellite Office shall refer workers to the nearest Public Employment Service Offices (PESO) for the provision of a full-cycle employment facilitation. Beneficiaries who intend to find subsequent local and overseas wage employment shall be referred to appropriate employers with job vacancies matching their qualifications. Simultaneously, beneficiaries shall be provided employment coaching and relevant labor market information.

ARTICLE V — PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

SECTION 1. DOLE Crisis Management Team. — The DOLE Crisis Management Team shall ensure the soundness of the policies and effectiveness of interventions for workers whose employment was interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The DOLE Crisis Management Team shall be composed of the following:

Chairpersons:

Undersecretary for Regional Operations, Labor Standards, and Special Concerns

Undersecretary for Employment and General Administration

Vice-Chairs:

Assistant Secretary for Regional Operations, Labor Standards, and Special Concerns

Assistant Secretary for Labor Relations, Social Protection and Policy Support

Assistant Secretary for Employment and General Administration

Members:

Bureau of Local Employment (BLE)

Bureau of Working Conditions (BWC)

Financial and Management Service (FMS)

Planning Service (PS)

Legal Service (LS)

Institute for Labor Studies (ILS)

Information and Publication Service (IPS)

SEC. 2. DOLE Regional Office. — The DOLE Regional Offices, through the Regional Directors, shall perform the following:

  1. Receive applications with complete documentary requirements;
  2. Monitor affected workers through Establishment Report or profiling of affected workers due to the COVID-19 pandemic;
  3. Facilitate the provision of assistance to affected workers;
  4. Conduct advocacy campaigns and information dissemination activities;
  5. Ensure timely delivery of services to beneficiaries; and
  6. Prepare and submit monitoring reports to the Chairperson of the DOLE Crisis Management Team, providing copies of said reports to the BLE.

SEC. 3. DOLE Field/Satellite Office. — The DOLE Field/Satellite Offices shall:

  1. Receive applications with complete documentary requirements;
  2. Conduct preliminary evaluation of received applications; and
  3. Endorse pre-evaluated applications to the concerned DOLE Regional Office for further review or for final approval/denial, whichever is applicable.

ARTICLE VI — PROGRAM MONITORING AND EVALUATION

SECTION 1. Monitoring. — To ensure that program objectives are met and beneficiaries are assisted, the concerned DOLE Regional Office shall prepare and submit monitoring reports composed of an updated list of affected workers, approved beneficiaries and program implementation issues encountered. All reports shall be consolidated and evaluated by the BLE, and shall be submitted to the Office of the Secretary through the Chairperson of the DOLE Crisis Management Team.

SEC. 2. Evaluation. — An evaluation of the program implementation shall be conducted three (3) months after its commencement to determine the soundness of the policies and effectiveness of the program. Regular meetings of the DOLE Crisis Management Team shall be conducted to discuss and resolve issues and problems arising from the program implementation as the need arises.

ARTICLE VII — BUDGET

The DOLE shall allocate and utilize funds to be sourced from the budget under the Social Protection Programs of the 2020 General Appropriation Act, and if applicable or granted under the President's Contingency Fund, for the following items subject to the usual accounting and auditing rules and regulations:

  1. Financial Support;
  2. Administrative funds to DOLE Regional Offices for the implementation and monitoring of the program; and
  3. Administrative funds to the Central Office for the operationalization, implementation, and monitoring of the program.

ARTICLE VIII — MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SECTION 1. Separability Clause. — If any portion or provision of this Order is declared void or unconstitutional, the remaining portions or provisions thereof shall not be affected by such declaration.

SEC. 2. Retroactive Clause. — This Department Order shall be retroactive from January 2020.

SEC. 3. Effectivity. — This Department Order shall take effect three (3) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least one (1) newspaper of general circulation.

Approved this 17th day of March, 2020.

SILVESTRE H. BELLO III

Secretary

Source footnotes

1 Republic Act 10121 (Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010) ↩

2 Proclamation No. 922 (Declaring a State of Public Health Emergency Throughout the Philippines) and Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases Joint Resolution Nos. 11 and 12, Series of 2020 ↩

3 Republic Act No. 8425 otherwise known as the Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act ↩

4 Memorandum from the Executive Secretary on Stringent Social Distancing Measures and Further Guidelines for the Management of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation issued 13 March 2020 ↩

5 Fraudulent misrepresentation or false statement that will have a negative effect in the evaluation of the application which was made knowingly, or without belief in its truth, or recklessly whether it is true or false. ↩