The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will extend its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) program to residents affected by severe tropical storm “Kristine,” the agency said.
In a statement Wednesday, October 30, DOLE 4-A Regional Director Atty. Roy Buenafe said the agency has allocated P424.4 million to mitigate the adverse effects of the storm in the Calabarzon region.
Around 72,000 individuals will benefit from the post-“Kristine” TUPAD program, Buenafe added.
Batangas province is set to receive the largest share of the assistance, with more than P172 million benefitting more than 29,729 workers.
This is followed by Cavite with P87 million for more than 14,000 residents; Laguna, more than P87 million covering more than 14,000 workers; Quezon, P61.46 million for the benefit of 10,764 workers; and Rizal, P16.3 million for 2,816 disadvantaged workers.
"This intervention is needed now more than ever to provide income-earning capacity for our disadvantaged workers, thereby allowing them to contribute to the efforts of the community in rehabilitation and recovery," the official said.
Under the TUPAD program, the beneficiaries will work for 10 days, engaging in community clean-up, debris clearing, and rehabilitation of public infrastructure until next month. They will receive the highest prevailing minimum wage rate in the region.
"With the declaration of a state of calamity in some areas in Calabarzon, we hope that this intervention would help improve the vulnerability of the affected workers and the communities it serves," Buenafe said.
(With report from PNA)
Photo Courtesy: DOLE CALABARZON FB Page
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