IPIL, ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY — Around 650 residents from various municipalities in Zamboanga Sibugay were given emergency employment by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) thru its Zamboanga Sibugay Field Office under its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged or Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program.

DOLE 9 Regional Director Ofelia B. Domingo shared that TUPAD is a component of DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP), which is a community-based (municipality/barangay) package of assistance that provides emergency employment for displaced workers, underemployed and unemployed poor for a minimum of 10 days, but not to exceed a maximum of 30 days, depending on the nature of work to be performed.

Domingo said that these workers were affected by the ill-effects of drought that hit the province in the months April to June 2019.

DOLE 9 released a total budget amounting to six (6) million pesos representing payment of wages and insurance coverage. Each worker will receive a daily wage of PHP316.00 in compliance to the prevailing minimum wage rates in the Region.

According to DOLE ZSFO Provincial Head, Imelda F. Gatinao, the workers contributed to various work on eco-tourism, maintenance of common public facilities, and tree planting activities.

Phine Layogue, TUPAD beneficiary from Kabasalan, has extended her deepest gratitude to DOLE for the assistance they have received:

“Salamat kaayo sa DOLE kay nahatagan mi og chance na makarecover og mahimong produktibo tungod sa emergency employment nga nga pareho anii.” (Thank you so much to DOLE for giving us the opportunity to recover and become productive through this emergency employment.) END / Karen Grafia with reports from Airon Paul P. Canizares, CF-DOLE ZSFO