The continuing rollout of the Department of Labor and Employment’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/ Displaced Workers (Tupad) has benefitted 5,515 individuals in Benguet.
DOLE-Benguet Director Emerito Narag said the payouts are ongoing for this year that would cover 140 barangays of the 13 municipalities.
Last March, 335 beneficiaries from Tublay, Itogon, La Trinidad, Sablan, and Tuba received cash assistance totaling to P1.76 million.
Narag said the funding came from Sen. Joel Villanueva who assisted in securing the amount for the province through the DOLE program.
The continuing 2020 funds of the program were also paid last month amounting to P766,500, which was divided between Tublay and Kapangan with 146 total beneficiaries.
Another P28.5M-worth assistance through the Office of the Benguet Congressional District caretaker, will be distributed this April among the 13 towns.
The Tupad was implemented from March 15 to 29.
“Once we receive complete daily time records of beneficiaries on the first week of April then most likely payout will be scheduled on the third week of April,” he said.
Screened by the Public Employment Services Office, the beneficiaries, who received P5,250 each, would be monitored by their respective punong barangays for the duration of their cash for work for 15 days.
Work include ongoing programs of their respective local government units related to Covid-19 such as sanitation, beautification, and maintaining cleanliness even in their own households.
Tupad is a community-based package of assistance that provides emergency employment for displaced workers, underemployed, and seasonal workers for a minimum period of 10 days but not to exceed 30 days. – Ofelia C. Empian
