ZAMBOANGA CITY, February 17, 2022- A total of 135 displaced workers from the fishing and canning industry and persons deprived of liberty (PDL) received wages under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 9’s TUPAD Program.
Atty. Roy L. Buenafe, DOLE Zampen Director, in an interview said that the wage payout was held at the Project HOPE Demo Farm at Sitio San Ramon, Talisayan, Zamboanga City on January 29, 2022.
DOLE’s Zamboanga Ecozone Satellite Office in partnership with the Ecozone’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO) and the Congressional Office of Ceasar Jimenez facilitated the payout.
Makaraya U. Adil, Zamboanga City Field Office OIC Head, assured workers in the industry that DOLE will continue to provide assistance to displaced workers come closed fishing season.
Each worker received Php 4,740.00 for 15 days assigned to farm operations such as vegetable planting, seedling preparation, construction of greenhouses and plot preparation at the Project HOPE Farm, a DOLE-led initiative to provide alternative employment for displaced workers in the fishing and canning industry.
As a way of giving back, Project HOPE Agricultural Cooperative, the Congressional Office and Permex Producer and Exporter Corporation donated hygiene kits, canned goods and grocery packs to PDLs of San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm (SRPPF).
SRPPF Superintendent, Luigi Tan, expressed his gratitude to the agencies involved and announced a partnership with Project HOPE.
“To help PDLs earn income, we plan to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with Project HOPE by way of supplying vegetables harvested by PDLs. We hope to have a meaningful partnership and engagement with DOLE and the cooperative”, Tan added.
TUPAD or Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers 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 a maximum of 30 days, depending on the nature of work to be performed. END