ZAMBOANGA CITY (PIA) – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. personally presented grants amounting to 130 million pesos during his visit in Zamboanga City on September 19, 2023.
These grants were distributed among 111 beneficiaries of the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DLIP) and a whopping 33,281 beneficiaries of the TUPAD program o Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers.
Photo courtesy of DOLE-9
The event took place at the NFA Regional Office IX in San Roque, Zamboanga City, with the active participation of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Under the leadership of Regional Director Albert E. Gutib, DOLE-9 brought services directly to the venue. They oversaw the turnover of livelihood support and TUPAD grants to individuals and families who had been displaced or disadvantaged due to various circumstances. This included those affected by flooding, rubber workers grappling with the pestaloptiopsis disease in rubber plantations, informal sector laborers in areas cleared by NTF-ELCAC efforts, and other disadvantaged workers in the region.
The DILP beneficiaries hailed from places such as Tungawan, Payao, Talusan, and Kabasalan in Zamboanga Sibugay. They were the recipients of livelihood grants valued at 1.2 million pesos, and Sibuguey Valley CATV served as the accredited co-partner for this endeavor. Additionally, LGU Sirawai in Zamboanga del Norte received grants totaling 530,000 pesos under the same program.
Furthermore, President Marcos, through DOLE’s TUPAD Program, turned-over grants worth a total of 128.2 million pesos. This sum equated to the wages for ten days of work for disadvantaged individuals hailing from Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga City.
In his address, the President emphasized the pivotal role of the agricultural sector in driving the country’s economy forward. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting all citizens in need, underscoring the importance of this vital assistance initiative. (EDT/RVC/PIA9 with reports and photos from Gay Iris Tangcalagan, RLIO9/DOLE9)
