TACLOBAN CITY — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has allocated PHP 632.6 million to aid displaced workers in Eastern Visayas through the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program for the period of January to August 2024.
According to the Philippines News Agency, DOLE regional mediator-arbiter, lawyer Cecilio Baleña, announced during the “Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas” press briefing on Tuesday that the emergency employment initiative has reached 269,788 beneficiaries in the region this year. Baleña highlighted that with a total budget of PHP 1.88 billion for TUPAD in 2024, further distributions are anticipated. “We expect more beneficiaries towards the end of the year as we still have PHP 1.25 billion allocated for disbursement,” he stated.
The program offers temporary employment for 10 to 90 days, paying each worker the regional daily minimum wage of PHP 405. TUPAD targets disadvantaged workers aged 18 and above, including eligible senior citizens who are capable of non-hazardous tasks.
The uptake of the TUPAD program has seen a steady increase, with the number of recipients growing from 184,035 two years ago to 269,788 in the current year. Initiated in 2020, TUPAD aims to provide temporary relief to individuals impacted by the economic downturn triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises, focusing on those who are underemployed, self-employed, and without any income source during emergencies.