DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Dec. 15 (PIA) -- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) highlighted the significant accomplishments of its key programs in Negros Oriental during a series of caravans aimed to promote the landmark achievements of the government under the current administration.

DOLE is among the government agencies showcased in the Duterte Legacy Caravan set to roll out in the province this week.

One notable program of DOLE in the province is the Sugar Amelioration Program which provides financial assistance for workers in the sugar industry.

The department also provides maternity benefits and death benefits to sugar workers in the province.

“We have the maternity benefit. We have 50 beneficiaries on this and we paid them P250,000. For the death benefit of sugar workers, we have 57 beneficiaries and a total of P570,000 (assistance released to them),” said Maritess Mercado, chief labor and employment officer of DOLE here.

Another major program of DOLE is the Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) which extended emergency employment to displaced workers especially those who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mercado said the first district of Negros Oriental was allotted P41,735,031 for the program and around P25,180,000 of the funds were disbursed to 2,945 beneficiaries of the program as of November this year.

The province’s second district received a total of P70,614,544 budget for TUPAD and P60,604,026 of it were released to 10,448 beneficiaries here.

On the other hand, the province’s third district received a budget of P23,866,276 for TUPAD, of which P9,752,486 of the said amount was already disbursed to 1,734 beneficiaries in the area.

Mercado said they are still processing the disbursement of the remaining balance and the next cycle of payout will be held this month.

“We thank the government of President Duterte and Secretary (Silvestre) Bello for downloading to us the funds for TUPAD. For Negros Oriental alone, we have 22,775 beneficiaries and this amounts to P185,657,333. We already disbursed P128,978,724. We have a remaining balance as of October of P56,755,305 which we are going to disburse this December,” Mercado added.

The DOLE official also took the opportunity to thank their local government unit partners and barangay officials who helped implement the program.

Gaspar Tuban of Dauin town, a beneficiary of the said program, thanked the government for helping people like him who lost their job during the pandemic.

Tuban shared that he used to work in a beauty salon before the pandemic but lost his source of income when the pandemic shut down the salon’s operations. 

He then found temporary work under the TUPAD Program. 

He used the cash assistance he received to buy equipment for home service treatment.

“Naka-avail ko ani programa na dako kay tabang nako kay nakahatag nako ni ug pangkabuhayan  tungod kay naa koy napalit na kahimanan sa pang-parlor ug karon nag-home service ko (This program helped me a lot. Because of this, I was able to buy some tools for home treatment service which is my form of livelihood now),” Tuban said.

“Nagpasalamat kitang dako kay sa tanan kalungsuran sa probinsiya, usa ang Dauin na nahimo benepisyaryo sa TUPAD kay dako kay ning ikatabang nato (I am thankful that Dauin is one of the municipalities in the province that became a recipient of the TUPAD program. It is a big help for us),” he added.

DOLE also rolled out its Covid-19 Adjustment Measure Program (CAMP) for other workers affected by the pandemic, wherein beneficiaries each received P5,000.

Mercado said DOLE released P53,330,000 cash assistance to 10, 666 employees in 430 establishments that were affected by the pandemic.

Another program that was presented during the Duterte Legacy Caravan is the Special Employment Program for Students (SPES) covering 2,454 beneficiaries employed in different government and private offices in Negros Oriental.

DOLE disbursed funds amounting to P10,693,363.28 as counterpart for the allowance of the beneficiaries of the said program. 

Based on their agreement with partner institutions, DOLE shoulders 40% of the allowance of the beneficiaries, while the remaining half is shouldered by the partner agency.   

The updates were presented during the separate activities of the Duterte Legacy Caravan held in Dumaguete City and Valencia on Dec. 13 and in the municipalities of Dauin and Zamboanguita on Dec. 14.

This week, the Duterte Legacy Caravan will also visit Siaton, Bayawan City, Bais City, Manjuyod, and Pamplona. (RAL/PIA Negros Oriental)