CEBU CITY, Cebu, Oct. 23 (PIA) -- A displaced worker and a resident of San Fernando, Cebu was one of the beneficiaries of the Department of Labor and Employment Region7 (DOLE-7) who shared his testimony during the third day of the Duterte Legacy Barangayanihan Caravan Cebu Leg held at the San Fernando Sports Complex in the Municipality of San Fernando on Oct. 23.

DOLE, through its Tulong sa Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program, was able to help the said worker who lost his job last year due to the pandemic.

Ringo Gestopa, 34, from from Brgy. Balud, San Fernando was an on-call contractual worker of Taehiyo Cement Phils. Inc. for seven years.

Gestopa has four children, three of whom are students while his wife sells snack foods and other food products at their small sari-sari store.

He lost his job when the said company stopped its operations as it was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gestopa approached the local government of San Fernando and asked if he can serve as one of the volunteers who will help the town distribute relief goods and other assistance to the town residents who were affected by the pandemic.

The San Fernando LGU registered all their volunteer workers under the TUPAD program of DOLE, making Gestopa as one of the beneficiaries of the said program.

As a result, he received monetary assistance from DOLE-7 which became a big help to his family.

During his testimony, he praised DOLE’s TUPAD program and thanked the department for providing the financial aid that helped him and his entire family.

“Nagpasalamat ko sa programa sa DOLE. Tungod sa ilang programa, dako kaayo natabang sa akoa nga ordinary ra nga trabante, ilabi na gyud sa akong mga anak nga mga bata pa ug sa akong papa nga naa say maintenance (I would like to thank DOLE because their program helped us ordinary workers, and my children and my father who has maintenance medicines)," said Gestopa.

When the country eased the quarantine restrictions late last year and most of the companies and establishments slowly opened its respective business operations, Gestopa was able to work again at Taehiyo Cement in November 2020.

He remains thankful that he and his family were able to survive the devastating effects of the pandemic through the help and support of DOLE’s TUPAD program. (RGC/PIA7)