A total of 15,000 displaced workers from Benguet received cash assistance from the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers or Tupad program of the Department of Labor and Employment at the Benguet Sports Complex multipurpose gym on Dec. 14.
DOLE Baguio – Benguet field office head Emerito Narag said the activity is the fourth payout in the province with the funding of P90 million. La Trinidad received the highest slice with P16, 275,000 funding for its 3,100 beneficiaries.
Narag said the rest of the 13 municipalities have 1,000 beneficiaries each with recipients getting P5,250 each.
The beneficiaries also received personal protective equipment including gloves, face shield, long sleeves, and insurance for the workers in the duration of their work.
Benguet legislative caretaker Eric Go Yap, who sourced out the funding for the province, said the cash-for-work program is funded under the Bayanihan 2 budget.
Yap said a total of P120 million has been given to various beneficiaries of the province for this year under the Tupad program.
Yap, also the House appropriations committee chair, said they are hoping for the extension of the funding for the Bayanihan 2 next year. The lawmaker said he aims that each household in the province would be part of the Tupad beneficiaries.
La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda urged the beneficiaries to use whatever they receive from the payout properly.
“The aim of this payout is to alleviate whatever losses you have incurred in this pandemic, this is just to ease your burden especially this Christmas,” Salda said.
Narag said the payout would commence in other municipalities until Dec. 22.
He said they will work for four hours a day for 15 days, cleaning and beautifying their respective communities. – Ofelia C. Empian
