DOLE's TUPAD yet to meet initial goal of 960k beneficiaries

Six months into the quarantines, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Thursday said some 600,000 workers from the informal sector have so far benefited from the agency's assistance program, still short of its target of close to a million.

During the Laging Handa public briefing, DOLE Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns director Ma. Karina Perida-Trayvilla said some 604,901 workers have benefited from the TUPAD Program.

TUPAD, or Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers is community-based package of assistance that provides emergency employment for displaced, underemployed, and seasonal workers.

Under the program, the workers are employed for a minimum of 10 days, but not to exceed a maximum of 30 days, depending on the nature of work to be performed.

The latest figures were released six months after the quarantines were put in place in March, and four months since the DOLE revealed its targets.

The DOLE in May said the TUPAD program is seen to reach 962,000 informal sector workers, over half of whom or 540,000 had sought assistance under the Barangay Ko, Buhay Ko (BKBK) program.

Through BKBK, beneficiaries are paid the minimum wage in their respective areas for as much as 15 days of disinfection and sanitation work.

Moving forward, Trayvilla said more workers are expected to benefit from TUPAD and other programs of DOLE given the passage of the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2.

According to Trayvilla, some P13 billion has been allocated for DOLE programs under Bayanihan 2, covering TUPAD, COVID-19 Adjustment Measures (CAMP), and the Abot Kamay and Pagtulong (AKAP).

"Sa Bayanihan 2, bibigyan natin ng prayoridad ang mga manggagawa sa informal sector na hindi pa nabibigyan ng ayuda o tulong mula sa iba't ibang ahensya ng gobyerno sa ngayong panahon ng pandemya," she said.

Earlier this month, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported an unemployment rate of 10% in July, equivalent to 4.6 million jobless Filipinos.—AOL, GMA News