Labor and Employment Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma has released a total of P6,495,200 in livelihood and TUPAD assistance to four local government units, including Candoni town in Negros Occidental, during his recent visit to the DOLE Regional Office 6 in Iloilo City.
Candoni Mayor, Engr. Ray Ruiz, received the check for P900,000 for the TUPAD payout of some 200 underemployed, self-employed, and senior citizens in the municipality, for the de-clogging of canals and drainage, beautification of public facilities, and community gardening.
TUPAD, or Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers, is a community-based package of assistance implemented by the Department of Labor and Employment that provides emergency employment. Beneficiaries are hired for a minimum of 10 days, but not to exceed 30 days, depending on the nature of work to be performed.
Meanwhile, P1 million was provided for the fish polvoron-making project of the Kasagan sang Tuburan Association, with 60 member-beneficiaries, in Banate, Iloilo; 100 fisherfolk of Caluya town in Antique received P2 million for a seaweed farming project; and a check for P2.5 million was released to the Blasco Olalo Cayus Farmers Association and Sweetseer Farmers Association for purchase of mechanical flatbed dryers, expected to benefit 111 farmer-beneficiaries from Pilar, Capiz, the DOLE added.
Laguesma, and undersecretaries Atty. Benedicto Ernesto Bitonio Jr. and Atty. Felipe Egargo Jr., visited the DOLE6 office and met with employees and stakeholders to listen to their concerns and personally look into the condition of the regional office.
The Secretary also led the ribbon-cutting ceremony to formalize the occupancy of the ground floor of the building that houses the DOLE RO6.
Regional director, Atty. Sixto “Popoy” Rodriguez Jr., presented the new office space of the DOLE RO6, and said that its strategic location in the heart of the city and its amenities ensure ease in the conduct of transactions of clients as well as for the safety and health of the employees.
Laguesma reminded the employees to provide timely response to the needs of the workers particularly, the unserved, underserved, and the hard-to-reach sector of the society.*
