SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (PIA) – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 1 organized a payout of salaries for 876 informal sector workers from Bacnotan town under its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (Tupad) program on December 16.
The beneficiaries came from 47 barangays who did community work for 10 days in exchange for a daily compensation of P435, the prevailing minimum wage in the Ilocos Region.
DOLE Region 1’s TUPAD payout was able to assist 876 informal sector workers through 10-days of community work on public spaces of Bacnotan town. (Photo credit: LGU Bacnotan, La Union’s Facebook Page)
Each beneficiary received P4,350 for the payout.
Tupad is the flagship program of the DOLE that caters to displaced or disadvantaged workers, offering community work as a way to bridge the said workers as they await other, more stable working opportunities.
The community work includes cleaning of public spaces, such as the cutting of grass and dredging and declogging of canals.
The local government of Bacnotan said the Tupad program ensures everyone gets an equal chance to earn a living.
“Patuloy naming ilalapit… ang mga aktibidad na magbibigay ng pagkakataon upang may pagkakitaan para sabay-sabay tayong aangat,” the Local Government of Bacnotan’s Facebook Page said of the TUPAD payout.
Roselyn Bregondo, one of the beneficiaries of Tupad, was grateful for the opportunity.
“Kami ay naglinis ng [comfort rooms]… naglinis ng likod ng [public schools]… at nagwalis ng mga pampublikong lugar [para makatulong sa kalinisan dito sa Bacnotan],” Bregondo said, detailing the set of activities she took a part of while under the TUPAD program. (JCR/AMB/MJTAB/CCMT, PIA La Union)
