Over 4,000 Antiqueños benefit from Php16.8M TUPAD assistance – Around 4,269 informal workers from Antique’s 16 municipalities were more than grateful to receive Php16.86 million in emergency employment assistance under the labor department’s TUPAD program.
DOLE’s flagship employment program provided each beneficiary with Php3,950 in wages for a 10-day community service in their respective communities from May 3-13 this year.
“DOLE goes out to barangays to reach the most number of vulnerable workers. This is social justice as we give them equal access to government’s resources and privileges. They need more from the government so we bring our services closer to them,” Regional Director Atty. Sixto T. Rodriguez, Jr. said.
Most of the beneficiaries are small vendors, farmers, drivers, fisherfolks, laborers and women earning insufficient income engaged in community service.
In slightly urbanized municipalities, work programs focused on social community projects, such as repair, maintenance, and/or improvement of common public facilities and infrastructures such as schools and health centers, debris clearing, de-clogging of canals, debris segregation and materials recovery, stockpiling and clearing, waste management, coastal clean-up drive and community vegetable gardening.
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On the other hand, work programs in municipalities located in mountainous areas consisted of tree planting, road clearing, community gardening and clean-up drive. Also, beneficiaries along the coastal areas engaged in coastal clean-up and community gardening.
“We want to provide a short-term employment to the Antiqueños particularly those belonging to the marginalized sector through TUPAD and to take part in the concerted effort of the local government for further development of the Province of Antique as one of the thriving tourist destinations in Region 6,” DOLE RO NO 6- Antique Field Office Head Carmella Abellar added.
Aside from the prevailing minimum wage of P395.00/day, beneficiaries were also enrolled in a group insurance for social security, provided with personal protective equipment (PPEs) and underwent orientation prior to their employment.
The massive implementation of TUPAD in Antique was undertaken through DOLE’s partnership with the various local government units in the province which includes Anini-y, Tobias Fornier, Hamtic, San Jose de Buenavista, Belison, Sibalom, San Remigio, Valderrama, Patnongon, Bugasong, Laua-an, Barbaza, Tibiao, Culasi, Pandan and Libertad.
SOURCE: https://www.dole.gov.ph/news/over-4000-antiquenos-benefit-from-php16-8m-tupad-assistance/