TWO-HUNDRED beneficiaries from flood-affected barangays of the Island Garden City of Samal received help from the Department of Labor and Employment XI (DOLE XI).
Beneficiaries from Barangays Peñaplata, Cawag, Libuak, and Aumbay, who were severely impacted by the heavy rainfall earlier this year received financial assistance under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program.
“Through a coordinated effort, our beneficiaries gradually restored public spaces, reinforced infrastructure, and revitalized neighborhoods, laying the groundwork for recovery,” said DOLE XI regional director Atty. Randolf C. Pensoy in a statement dated April 16.
After the 10-day community engagement of the program, each beneficiary received P4,620.00 in the last week of March during a payout activity facilitated by the DOLE-IGaCoS extension office.
According to DOLE Department Order No. 239-23, TUPAD is a community-based program that offers temporary employment for 10-90 days, continuous or otherwise, depending on the nature of the work.
Qualified beneficiaries include all disadvantaged workers 18 years old and above, except for government employees regardless of status. Only one person per family shall be eligible for the program and it can only be availed once a year except during natural or human-induced calamity.
For Orly Pangandoyon, a resident of Barangay Peñaplata and a father facing the aftermath of flooded homes, the assistance became a motivating force.
As a carpenter with an unstable income, the TUPAD program not only offered temporary employment but also enabled him to rebuild and provide for his family, especially the needs of his two children.
Officials from the city and barangays in Samal also expressed gratitude to DOLE XI for the significant assistance of the TUPAD program to the island’s residents and communities.
Photo from DOLE XI
