The Department of Labor and Employment in Western Visayas said it released P427,585,329.40 in Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) emergency employment assistance to vulnerable workers in the region, including P115 million in Bacolod and Negros Occidental, in the first half of 2022.
TUPAD, the Department’s flagship employment program, benefitted a total of 95,261 displaced and informal workers from the different local government units of Western Visayas, DOLE 6 director, Atty. Sixto Rodriguez Jr., said.
“We maximize our efforts in reaching the most number of informal workers across the region,” Rodriguez said in a DOLE report recently, adding that “reaching the far-flung barangays is our way of bringing the government services closer to the people and in carrying out our mandate to look after the welfare of the workers, especially the affected, marginalized, and the vulnerable ones.”
TUPAD benefited 29,042 vulnerable workers in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, who received P115,892,334 in wages, PPEs, and insurance coverage, the DOLE said.
Another P196,064,227.34 in TUPAD funds were paid to 36,405 beneficiaries from the City of Iloilo and the different municipalities of Iloilo Province, which has the highest number of beneficiaries.
In Capiz, 11,991 informal workers benefitted from a P37,102,838 TUPAD package, while the DOLE RO 6, through its Antique Field Office, released P39,897,356 for 10,005 beneficiaries in the province.
The 4,567 beneficiaries from the province of Aklan, and the 3,251 from Guimaras received P19,753,030 and P9,852,155.08, respectively, in wages and other benefits.
The DOLE 6 also disbursed P41,326,193 for the beneficiaries of other accredited partners through the different field offices.
The TUPAD program provided a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 15 days emergency employment for vulnerable workers, who render community service, such as repair, maintenance, and/or improvement of common public facilities and infrastructure, such as schools and health centers, debris clearing, de-clogging of canals, debris segregation and materials recovery, stockpiling and clearing.
In some areas, the workers helped in the repair, maintenance and/or rehabilitation of farm-to-market roads, bridges, post-harvest facilities, public markets, and common service facilities such as production and display centers and fish ports.
Rodriguez said that the DOLE 6 and its field offices will continue to provide emergency employment assistance to more beneficiaries for the remaining months of the TUPAD implementation this year.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez led in the distribution of small vending or delivery business package to 60 identified beneficiaries at the DOLE RO 6-Negros Occidental Field Office in Bacolod City last week.
Each beneficiary received the livelihood package worth P24,506, inclusive of a bicycle with bike rack, and accessories such as cellphone with load wallet, phone holder, protective helmet, protective vest, and insulated bags, with a GSIS group personal insurance for one year, the DOLE said.
Rodriguez said the project is DOLE’s commitment to support and uplift the economic condition of the marginalized sector, by providing not only employment but also livelihood.
He also requested the beneficiaries, who are mostly vendors, to take care of the project and to make the most out of the support from the government.
DOLE RO 6-NOFO head Agnes Capigon, who assisted Rodriguez in the distribution, said that the total project cost is P1,500,000. ||
