ZAMBOANGA CITY, May 31, 2022 – More than 400 informal workers from Malangas town in Zamboanga Sibugay benefited from the PHP1.2 million worth of emergency employment assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 9.

DOLE 9 Regional Director Atty. Roy L. Buenafe took part in the payout of wages to said informal workers under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Displaced/Disadvantaged Workers Program or TUPAD on May 20, 2022.

The TUPAD program 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.

Beneficiaries were identified by DOLE’s Accredited Co-Partners (ACPs) – Ipil Market Vendors Multipurpose Cooperative (IMAVEMCO) and Buug Multi-Purpose Cooperative. These ACPs were likewise in charge of monitoring the beneficiaries’ work program.

Each worker received 3,160 pesos for 10 days of social community projects, such as repair, maintenance, and/or improvement of common public facilities and infrastructure such as schools and health centers, debris clearing, de-clogging of canals, debris segregation and materials recovery, stockpiling and clearing.

Prior to work engagement, beneficiaries were provided orientation on occupational safety and health, personal protective equipment such as face masks, gloves, long sleeved shirts and hats. They are also enrolled in GSIS Group Accident Insurance.

“It is important for us to reach out to informal workers in times of crisis. The wages they received from TUPAD can help in augmenting their family’s income for the time-being. It might not be permanent but still, for these families, having an amount they can spend for immediate needs such as food and utilities can go a long way,” said Atty. Buenafe. END/kcg