Not even bad weather can stop the government from distributing the payments to Surigao del Norte beneficiaries under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Facilitated by DOLE-Surigao del Norte and the office of Surigao del Norte second district Representative Robert Ace Barbers, the release of the TUPAD payouts from Monday to Tuesday benefited at least 1,000 TUPAD workers in Surigao City and in the four towns of Surigao del Norte.

“The series of distribution activities were led by DOLE-13 Regional Director Joffrey Suyao and May Velonta, the Provincial Head of DOLE-SDN,” Anya Sollano of the DOLE-13 information office said in an interview Wednesday.

Some 1,225 beneficiaries in five other towns in Surigao del Norte, including Tubod, Mainit, Gigaquit, Bacuag, and San Francisco are expected to receive their PHP4,287,000 TUPAD payments next week, Sollano said.

Three more rounds of payouts will be scheduled in Surigao City next week covering around 664 beneficiaries with a total payment of PHP2,324,000.

The payments represented the 10-day community works and services the beneficiaries have rendered in their respective towns during the early weeks of January.

Rushian Jone Mongado, a Taganaan town resident, was among the beneficiaries in Tuesday’s payout.

“In a span of 10 days of work, we immediately received our payment through the DOLE. The PHP3,500 payment I received will be used to buy the needs for my family,” Mongado said.

She also hopes she would be engaged again in the next round of TUPAD enlistment. (PNA)