Philippines: Cash for Work - A Minimum Guideline for Implementers by the Cash Working Group (March 2023)

Introduction

Cash for Work (CfW) is a short-term intervention used by humanitarian organizations to provide temporary employment in public projects for the vulnerable population. The methodology has become increasingly common in food insecure, disaster affected or post-conflict environments.

About this guide

• This guide is a product developed by the Cash Working Group (CWG) members; in particular the members of the CfW and Protection Task Force: OCHA, UNHCR, FAO, PRC, IOM, WFP and CashCap.

• The guide is to be used as a recommended practice for CfW programming and mainstreaming gender and protection measures, based on global best practices and the Philippines’ context;

• This guide should be used as complementary to the DSWD Cash-for-Work guidance;

• The details outlined in this guide pertain to CfW activities to be delivered during the Early Recovery phase, post-disaster;

Objectives

• Provide an overview of what recent CfW activities have been delivered in the Philippines;

• Recommend when, why and how to best use CfW;

• Outline risks and mitigation measures to CfW;

• Mainstream Sphere Protection Standards in CfW programming;

• Outline best practices in mainstreaming gender;

• Recommend key elements and type of activities to consider;

Recent Cash for Work activities in the Philippines

In response to Typhoon Rai (locally known as Odette) the International Organization for Migration (IOM) employed cash-for-work activities in shelter and CCCM, targeting evacuees: skilled and unskilled workers from towns and villages affected by the typhoon. Approximately 3,440 individuals benefited from IOM’s CfW activities in various localities in Caraga and Southern Layte, two regions of the Philippines most impacted by the disaster. The persons employed were either tasked with maintenance and repair of the evacuation centers where evacuees were sheltered, including day-to-day activities such as laundry and kitchen work, or with construction of transitional shelters that IOM was building post-Odette. The CfW rates used were either aligned with provincial salary standards (e.g. PhP 350 per day in Cagniog, Caraga) or followed a contract assignment whereby PhP 35,000 was paid for a completion of one transitional shelter.

Prior to Typhoon Odette response, Philippines Red Cross (PRC) employed cash-for-work to support families adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Over 4,000 families were served in Luzon (Bulacan, Metro Manila, Rizal Province, Zambales) and the Visayas (Cebu Province, Leyte, Western Samar) with a standardized rate of PhP 500 per day for seven days (total of PhP 3,500). Activities focused on community mobilization and information dissemination at barangay level, including disbursement of pandemic flyers, needs assessments at community level and profiling of the most vulnerable families as well as blood bank recruitment. PRC also advocates for early action prior to typhoon landfall with the following CfW activities: early harvesting, livestock/assets evacuation and shelter strengthening.

Some important lessons learned have been collected, notably around the frequency of payments with recipients preferring to be paid daily rather than weekly to cover their immediate needs. Agencies also underline the significance of thorough CfW process and requirements explanation during community consultations in order to avoid misunderstandings that could progress to lengthy complaints and feedback.