DUMAGUETE CITY, July 24 (PIA) -- Around 115 bioethanol plant workers in Negros Oriental received their Financial Benefit Fund (FBF) amounting to P1.5 million.

According to Labor Information Officer III Luchel Senarlo-Taniza of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), each of the plant workers from URC-Bais Distillery in Alangilanan, Manjuyod town received the monetary benefits that ranged from over P2,000 up to a maximum of almost P17,000.

The FBF is the 80% of the Social Amelioration and Welfare Program (SAWP) lien collection to be given as financial or cash benefit to qualified bioethanol plant workers, including any and all incomes or interests derived from it.

The recipients comprised of active and retired workers who claimed their monetary benefits either through automated teller machines or checks issued by DOLE.

One worker, who refused to be named, said the cash benefit helped them a lot. “After receiving my financial benefit, I went to the groceries right away and bought our basic needs.”

Another beneficiary used the FBF to buy medicine, while another said that he used what he received for their house repair and renovation.

Bioethanol refers to ethanol (C2H2OH) produced from feedstock and other biomass that shall be technically proven and approved by the DOE for use in gasoline-fed engines including hydrous ethanol.

The URC-Bais Distillery in Alangilanan, Manjuyod is the only bioethanol plant producer in Central Visayas.  

The FBF is distributed to qualified bioethanol plant workers regularly every February of the year, said Taniza.

“We just experienced a delay in the distribution due to the consolidation of the remitted FBF that also come from the various regions into the account of the Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns or BWSC. But we are glad that were able to explain it very well to the recipients through the employees’ union. We are thankful to all parties involved for their cooperation because the series of FBF distributions became very successful," said DOLE Negros Oriental Field Office Officer-in-Charge Ma. Teresa Tanquiamco.  (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental with reports from DOLE)