CALOOCAN CITY, (PIA) -- Some 306 beneficiaries recently signed their contract for the TUPAD or Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers program through the CAMANAVA Field Office (CFO) of the Department of Labor and Employment - National Capital Region (DOLE-NCR).

According to CFO TUPAD Focal Person Adrian Dumaquit, in the year 2021 alone, CFO has served over 67,000 beneficiaries from the informal sector.

“Just a month after the year 2022 started, some 3,405 grantees have already benefitted from the project but CFO still eyes to improve the monitoring process,” Dumaquit added.

“While it’s a good thing that we are very much alive in figures, it’s also our responsibility to ensure that our beneficiaries are indeed living up to the community which they are supposed to serve,” Dumaquit said.

 Teresita Solana, a 70-year-old grantee, shared her story.

She said the onset of the pandemic was unexpected to many as it was to her.

“I have served as a kasambahay for 10 years, and as a caretaker for nearly 25 years. My employer is very much fond of me. But this pandemic hit their financial status so hard that they had to let go of me,” she said.

Lola Teresita said the cash grant from the DOLE is an answered prayer.

“We barely get enough food on the table. This grant from DOLE means another chance for us to survive,” she added.

“I may be the oldest among the other beneficiaries here but as long as I can still move my hands and my feet, then this will not be a problem,” she said.

The identified beneficiaries will have to conduct a 10-day community service related to disinfection and sanitation activities or clean and green programs of Caloocan City in order to avail the cash grant amounting to P5,370.

 Their work also includes social community projects, economic community projects, and agro-forestry community projects.  (DOLE-NCR/PIA-NCR)