TUPAD program benefits 178K informal workers: DOLE

In a statement, Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique Tutay said as of Thursday, a total of 178,549 workers benefitted from the 10-day employment program. (File photo by Ramon FVelasquez/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

MANILA – Close to 180,000 informal workers have benefited from the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD)-Barangay ko, Bahay Ko (BKBK) program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

In a statement, Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique Tutay said as of Thursday, a total of 178,549 workers benefitted from the 10-day employment program.

“Accomplished as of 16 April: 178,549 workers (this includes 102,173 workers who already completed) with a total disbursement of PHP410,739,654.29,” she said.

Tutay said they are targeting to assist a total of 235,949 workers with PHP966.49 million until the end of April.

She added that the current program is also closed and they will just finish the ongoing employment until the end of April.

“Yes, it is already closed. We will just finish the ongoing (employment program) as committed (for) around 235,000 workers in the informal economy until 30 April. We don’t have additional funding for both CAMP (Covid Adjustment Measures Program) and TUPAD.

We are using our own budget, (we just made a realignment) to address the needs of workers during ECQ (enhanced community quarantine),” she said.

She, however, said the regular TUPAD program will continue which aims at assisting displaced workers during the “recovery phase” from the pandemic.

On Thursday, the DOLE announced that it has suspended the application for financial assistance under CAMP for formal sector workers the amount for the cash aid is very close to being depleted.

The government has allocated PHP1.6 billion for workers affected by the ECQ implemented in Luzon to help stop the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

The ECQ is in effect until April 30.