702 indigent Albayanos receive gov’t assistance

By Cet Dematera

A total of 702 poor residents of Albay had received P5,310 each as government assistance through the program Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers or TUPAD under the supervision of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Bicol.

DOLE Bicol Director Ma. Zenaida A. Angara-Campita said 362 beneficiaries came from Pioduran town, while 340 others from Legazpi City.

“TUPAD is a community-based package of assistance that provides emergency employment for displaced workers, underemployed and seasonal workers, for a minimum period of 10 days, but not to exceed a maximum of 30 days, depending on the nature of work to be performed,” Campita explained.

Campita said that TUPAD targeted workers displaced by natural disasters and Covid-19 pandemic as priority recipients.

In Pioduran, DOLE allocated P1,967, 920; while in Legazpi City it paid out P1,805,400, or a total of P3,773,320 for all the TUPAD beneficiaries.

DOLE Albay Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP) had earlier awarded the cheques to the recipient local government units (LGUs) in the province.

Albay and the other provinces of Bicol worst-hit by strong typhoons last year were the biggest recipients of government cash assistance, particularly TUPAD and Covid-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) in the country.