DOLE to be 'more vigilant' amid reports of TUPAD use in Cha-cha push

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Friday said it will be more vigilant amid reports that its emergency employment cash aid program known as TUPAD (Tulong Panghanapbuhay para sa Ating Displaced/Disadvantaged Workers) is being used by some politicians to push for Charter change (Cha-cha).

“Hindi po kami [magkikibit-balikat] kundi magiging maingat po kami. Lalo kaming magiging mapagmasid at vigilant at doon po sa aming nagiging ka-partner,” said DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma in an interviewed on Unang Balita.

(We will not shrug it off but we will be careful. We will be more observant and vigilant with our partners.) 

“Kasi alam po natin na iyong reach nito naipagkakaloob namin nang maayos through collaboration and cooperation with local government units, accredited partners,” he added.

(You know we are able to distribute the assistance through collaboration and cooperation with local government units and accredited partners.)

Senator Robin Padilla on Wednesday claimed that several social services, including TUPAD, are being used to gather signatures for Cha-cha via people's initiative.

"People's initiative: Vox populi, vox Dei. Ang boses ng taongbayan ay boses ng Dios... Pag-usapan nang matino ang people's initiative. Huwag gawing isyu ng politiko at ambisyon ang nag-iisang kapangyarihan ng taongbayan," Padilla said.

(People's initiative: the voice of the people is the voice of God. We must discuss people's initiative thoroughly. Such a power of the people should not be twisted to suit political ambitions.)

Padilla chairs the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Code.

Aside from Padilla, other politicians also raised allegations that some public officials are buying signatures and tricking people into signing documents that allegedly portray public clamor to tweak the 1987 Constitution.

While expressing shock and sadness over the issue, Laguesma said the DOLE will ensure that only qualified beneficiaries will receive assistance under TUPAD.

The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday also appealed to leave the agency out of Cha-cha talks amid reports that one of its programs is also used to push the "people's initiative."

“‘Wag na tayong dumagdag sa usapin lalo na na dinadawit pa ang DOH. Kawawa naman ang mga humihingi ng tulong sa amin kasi patuloy naman ang pagbibigay namin ng tulong sa kanila," said DOH Undersecretary Eric Tayag.

(Let's not add to the matter, especially that the DOH is being involved. We pity those who ask us for help.)

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III earlier this week also said that there's a need to investigate what he described as "bribed initiative."

“A bribed initiative is not the people’s spontaneous initiative,” Pimentel said. —Joviland Rita/VAL, GMA Integrated News