February 23 (PIA) - The Department of Labor and Employment - Eastern Samar Field Office (DOLE-ESFO) distributed P14-M Tulong Panghanapbuhay para sa Ating Dis-advantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program for the year 2020.

Mr. Aleksie D. Abellar, Chief Labor Employment Officer said that the TUPAD aims to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19 to workers in the informal sector.

Abellar added that this is pursuant to Department Order No. 219, series of 2020 on the implementation of the TUPAD program under Bayanihan 2 to Recover as one Act.

The Labor Employment Officer said that each TUPAD worker received a minimum wage of P325.00 per day for 10 or 15 days for four hours a day only to reduce the possible risk of exposure of beneficiaries.

Abellar said, aside from the wages, they also received P400.00 for Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and P56.00 for GSIS Micro-Insurance.

He said that the Office of Congresswoman Ma. Fe R. Abunda allocated P8,311,875.00 with 1,805 beneficiaries under her leadership fund.

From the leadership fund of Gov. Ben Evardone, he allocated P2,603,250 with 534 beneficiaries.

The Waray Partylist also allocated some P1,998,750 with 410 beneficiaries.

The APEC Partylist also has some P292,500.00 with 90 beneficiaries and the RAM Partylist also gave P867,750.00 with 178 beneficiaries.

TUPAD has provided emergency employment to 3,017 workers to 18 municipalities of Eastern Samar.

The 3,017 informal sector workers were hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Abellar further said that for 2021 under the Bayanihan 3, the DOLE allocated P30-M for Eastern Samar.

The TUPAD program is a safety net program that provides temporary wage employment to the workers in the informal sector particularly the unpaid family workers. This also gives assistance to self-employed workers with elementary occupations displaced or those whose earnings were affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (nbq/SDC/PIA-E. Samar)