MANILA – A total of 830 informal sector workers in Metro Manila will be provided emergency employment by working on various projects of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma and MMDA acting chair Romando Artes signed the memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the initiative at the new MMDA head office in Pasig City on Friday.
Under the MOA, self-employed individuals engaged in elementary occupations and unpaid family workers identified by MMDA will be given temporary jobs and will be compensated under the DOLE’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program.
They will be working under the MMDA’s flood control measure program and the “Brigada Eskwela” implementation in public schools in the National Capital Region (NCR).
Speaking at the signing rites, Laguesma said the pact is a “milestone convergence” for the two agencies, especially that they are preparing for the opening of classes and the rainy season.
“This project will not only benefit the TUPAD workers and their families but the public as well. We hope to implement TUPAD with broader impact and lasting benefit so as to maximize the efficient spending of government resources,” Laguesma said.
“We, at the DOLE, are careful and prudent in the allocation of government funds for the public. We make sure that everything is in order, and it provides assistance to those who need it most, such as our disadvantaged, displaced, and unpaid family workers,” he added.
The beneficiaries received their TUPAD shirts, safety gear, and cleaning materials. They will also undergo work and safety orientation.
They will clean up public schools, such as ornamental planting, canal and esteros cleaning and clearing; open waterways deepening, drainage mains desilting, drainage laterals declogging, manhole cover installation and fabrication, steel gratings installation, and classroom repairs and maintenance works.
“We would like to thank the DOLE for extending assistance to address the urgent needs of displaced workers in Metropolitan Manila. This collaboration will extend additional support in the effective and efficient delivery of the agency’s services, particularly flood mitigation measures and assistance in back-to-school preparations,” Artes said.
“This momentous occasion symbolizes the commitment of the government to address the needs of disadvantaged and displaced workers, providing them with a ray of hope during these challenging times,” he added.
The MMDA will also provide a list of beneficiaries, relevant job descriptions, a consolidated budget proposal, and other necessary information as required by DOLE.
The MMDA would ensure that the selected beneficiaries meet the requirements and standards set by the DOLE.
The partnership will also provide extra manpower for flood control and disaster preparedness initiatives, especially during heavy rainfall.
