ISABELA CITY, BASILAN — Around 246 residents of Brgy. Diki, Isabela City were given emergency employment by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 9 thru its Isabela City Field Office (ICFO) under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged or Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program.

DOLE Regional Director Ofelia B. Domingo said that the TUPAD Program is a community-based livelihood program of DOLE that provides emergency employment for displaced workers, seasonal workers, underemployed, and other members of the marginalized sector for a minimum of 10 days and maximum of 30 days.

She further added that the beneficiaries were among the families affected by fire that razed a large portion of Barangay Diki, Malamawi Island, Isabela City.

ICFO Chief Administrative Officer Elsa B. Tan shared that the work program for the 30-day employment period were not limited to clean-up drives in public and coastal areas but also included mangrove planting, learning sessions on recycling of waste materials, demo-farming, anti-illegal recruitment and trafficking in persons and Child Labor Program.

Tan said that of the total project cost of P 2,448,930.00, each worker received an amount of P 9,480.00 for the 30-day employment period or a total of P 2,332,080.00 salaries for the 246 TUPAD workers.

Apart from this, the workers were provided with PPEs amounting to P350.00 each or a total of P 86,100.00 in the form of long sleeve shirt and “buri” hat.

The workers were also insured under the Group Personal Accident Insurance for a period of one (1) year. Occupational Safety and Health orientation for informal sector was also provided to the workers.

A culminating activity was conducted for the workers on September 26, 2019 at the J.B. Dans Gymnasium, Sunrise Barangay, Isabela City attended by partner agencies – Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Nagdilaab Foundation and the Barangay Council of DIki headed by Chairperson Burahan Nain.

Mrs. Susan S. Jalil, one of the workers, warmly thanked DOLE and its partners:

“Lubos po ako nagpapasalamat sa DOLE, Nagdilaab Foundation, ang City PESO at lalung-lalo na sa aming Barangay Kapitan, si Kap. Burahan Nain sa trabaho at trainings naibigay sa amin. Malaking tulong pa ito sa amin. (Much thanks to DOLE, Nagdilaab Foundation, City PESO and most especially to our Barangay Chairperson, Burahan Nain for the employment and training given to us. This is of great help to us).” END/With reports from Marilyn J. Anoos, LEO-III, ICFO