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U.S. Labor cites 2 Labor staff for help on disaster program
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Posted on May 03 2006
The U.S. Department Of Labor has commended two staff members at the CNMI Department of Labor for their assistance to its regional staff during a review of the Commonwealth’s implementation of Disaster Unemployment Assistance resulting from Supertyphoon Chaba.
Richard C. Trigg, regional administrator for the U.S. Labor Employment and Training Administration Region VI, expressed appreciation for the help and support provided them by Labor employment director Alfred Pangelinan and job placement assistant Alice Concepcion.
In a letter to Labor Secretary Gil M. San Nicolas, Trigg thanked Pangelinan and Concepcion “for their many hours of assistance.”
“Pangelinan deserves special commendation for his sincere commitment to accuracy, and his attention to detail in planning for the Disaster Unemployment Assistance Program and developing local procedures,” said Trigg in the letter received by San Nicolas Friday.
Trigg said Pangelinan was careful to ensure separation of duties for intake, determination, and reconsideration.
“His effort was also evident in the many questions asked and clarifications sought during his preparation and implementation,” the U.S. Labor official added.
In the same letter, Trigg enclosed a report of their review of the DUA Program in the CNMI following Typhoon Chaba.
“There were no findings and no corrective action required from the review,” he said, adding that the report includes observations and suggestions that could help improve performance in the next DUA program.
Trigg informed San Nicolas that because the grant will be closed out soon, more time and effort and more paperwork will be required to reimburse the CNMI’s administrative costs.
San Nicolas told Saipan Tribune that they are very happy to continue working with federal agencies, particularly the U.S. Department of Labor, regarding the DUA Program.
Chaba devastated the Northern Marianas in August 2004. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s DUA was approved as a result of President Bush’s declaration of the CNMI as a major disaster area.
DUA assistance was made available to individuals, including those self-employed, whose employment have been lost or interrupted as a result of the supertyphoon.
