By Liza Soriano
Senator Chiz Escudero is seeking for the expansion of Tulong Panghanap-buhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program to extend more assistance to victims of natural calamities.
TUPAD is a program of Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
“Your honor, may we suggest in the proper time that we carve out from the calamity fund of the President, an amount, as a QRF fund for the DOLE’s TUPAD to help areas affected by calamities to recover,” Escudero said during Wednesday’s plenary deliberation of the 2024 budget of the DOLE.
“May I suggest P500 million… I don’t think the President will complain nor object because the Labor Secretary, at the end of the day, is his alter-ego,” he added.
Escudero said he would like TUPAD to be expanded to cover calamity victims, similar to a local program he implemented while he was governor of Sorsogon wherein their affected constituents were employed until they recover from the effects of the typhoon.
“The deal was for them to not to clean or repair their own house but clean and repair the house of their neighbor and they can do it among themselves. This enabled our affected barangays at that time in Sorsogon to recover from calamity with their heads held up high and without really depending on dole outs and asking for help without giving anything in return,” Escudero recalled.
(AI/MNM)
