More than 200 Bacolodnons received financial assistance yesterday, from Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, who handed over the cheques to Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers Program or TUPAD recipients, in ceremonies held at the Forest Park Water Garden Resort in Barangay Taculing.
Officials of the Department of Labor and Employment and attached agencies, as well as Mayor Evelio Leonardia and provincial executives, joined the program.
“Kami’y nandito ngayon para iparating ang ayuda ng ating gobyerno sa utos ng ating Pangulong Duterte. Kasi alam nyo naman na dahil sa pandemya, marami tayong kababayan, lalong-lalo na ang yung mga manggagawang impormal, yung mga nawalan ng trabaho, nawalan ng negosyo – kaya gusto ng ating pangulo na dumating ang ayuda sa kanila,” Bello said.
The labor secretary, who is also referred to as “Mr. TUPAD,” described the program as “emergency employment” that provides work opportunities for displaced, seasonal and underemployed workers for 10 to 15 days.
DOLE also has a livelihood assistance program that gives “negosyo” carts, bicycles and cellphone with P1,000 load to its beneficiaries, he added.
“Kanina nag usap kami ni Mayor Bing Leonardia, meron pala kayong dagat dito; pwede pala kaming makapagbigay ng bangka for livelihood: motorized, fiber-glass na bangka”, he said.
“Yun ang gusto naming iparating sa ating mga kababayan dito sa Bacolod at sa probinsiya ng Negros Occidenal para makatulong tayo sa mga kubos naton nga mga utod,” Belo said as the lauded the persistence of Leonardia to reach out to him and DOLE for the assistance.
“Pasalamat tayo kay Mayor Leonardia kasi siya ang humingi ng malaking TUPAD para sa kanyang mga kababayan,” Bello disclosed.
About 140 Barangay Taculing residents and 50 coming from Barangay 29 were granted P4,500 each as TUPAD beneficiaries.
Payment of their wages were coursed through a money remittance service provider to ensure standard application across all regions in terms of mechanics and service fee costs.
Bacolod recipients will receive the amount via MLhullier.
Thirteen recipients of the Balik Pinas, Balik Hanapbuhay program of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration also received checks worth P20,000 each, while 14 more beneficiaries accepted P30,000 checks as educational subsidy under the agency’s Tabang OFW program.
Bello also presented the 12 jobseekers who were hired for placement abroad during the Hired On The Spot (HOTS) online job fair spearheaded by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration last November 6.*
