GIVING ASSISTANCE TO FRs: Friends Rescued Receive Payout from DOLE’s TUPAD Program

41 Friends Rescued (FRs) of the Philippine Army’s 53rd Infantry “Matapat” Battalion received cash assistance from Department of Labor and Employment-IX (DOLE-IX) through its Zamboanga del Sur Field Office after the FRs were enrolled in DOLE’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Program in a simple activity yesterday, February 8, at Good Life Village, Poblacion, Guipos, Zamboanga del Sur.

A total of Php 129,560.00 were released for the 41 FRs.

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.

The FRs also received the following amenities after given the said job opportunity: basic orientation on safety and health; Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the form of T-shirt and hats; enrollment in group micro-insurance to be included in the total project cost or as counterpart of the ACP/LGU; and TUPAD ID. Also, the FRs signified their intentions to avail of skills training to prepare themselves towards self or wage employment after the project.

The payout was facilitated by a team from DOLE-ZDS Field Office led by Mr. Michael Vincent B. Macrohon, RSW – Labor and Employment Officer III together with Ms. Renita Daway-General Manager of LIFABEMCO; Nelly Romarate- Community Facilitator; TUPAD Coordinators Mr. Jimuel Rabasio and Kenneth Buco, 53IB’s Civil-Military Operations (CMO) Officer 1Lt. George Yu Jr.