The provincial office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has shelled out more than PHP13.8 million in cash assistance to 3,024 beneficiaries under the government’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD).
DOLE-Negros Oriental officer in charge Director Ma. Teresa Tanquiamco said in an interview on Tuesday that the distribution of the TUPAD community-based cash assistance to the part-time workers in various towns and cities is part of this year’s Labor Day celebration on May 1.
“The latest to be given the TUPAD cash assistance are 419 workers from Dumaguete City, who received them on Monday during the Labor Day celebration here, with Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo attending the activity,” Tanquiamco said in mixed English and Cebuano.
During the handover on Labor Day, each beneficiary received PHP4,350, representing 10 days of menial jobs as identified by the local government unit (LGU), she said.
These TUPAD emergency workers included street sweepers and canal de-cloggers, she added.
Last week, other TUPAD payouts were given ahead of Labor Day to beneficiaries from Bayawan City, Sta. Catalina, Basay, Canlaon City, Amlan, Tanjay City, La Libertad, and Mabinay, she said.
They were released earlier due to time constraints and travel considerations but they were still included in the Labor Day reporting of the payouts, she added.
Other accomplishments that the DOLE field office here reported for the Labor Day celebration were the distribution of more than PHP3.5 million in livelihood assistance to three associations – the Associacion Agricola de Bais y Tanjay, Inc.; Sanlagan Fisherfolks Livelihood Development Association; and the KAPANIG Multi-Purpose Cooperative.
Small-time vendors also recorded an overall total sales of PHP96,000 in just one day at the “Kadiwa sa Pangulo Para Sa Manggagawa” stalls while 68 job seekers were also hired on the spot during the job fair on Labor Day, Tanquiamco said.
The job fair offered 2,390 vacancies from 19 local employers and 1,665 slots from four overseas employers. (PNA)
