SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte -- In its effort to provide emergency employment to the displaced and disadvantaged workers, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Surigao del Norte Field Office released salaries amounting to P72 million to the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced (TUPAD) beneficiaries in the province for the first semester of 2023. 

From urban centers to rural areas, a total of 14,672 workers were engaged in different tasks, including, but not limited to, repair and maintenance of community facilities, cleaning, declogging canals and greening initiatives, disaster response, rehabilitation efforts, and other community projects. 

The TUPAD beneficiaries are mostly fisherfolk and farmers whose livelihood were greatly affected by the series of unfavorable weather conditions during the first semester of this year. 

Mary Grace Prudente, a beneficiary of the said program, expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by the government through DOLE as this helped them sustain the needs of their families, allowed them to acquire new skills, and gave them the opportunity to regain their sense of purpose after the difficulties brought by the pandemic, devastation of Super Typhoon Odette and the frequent bad weather conditions.  

"It’s not just about money, it’s also about the hope and support brought to us. It provided me with an opportunity to earn a living, and in return, contribute to my community," Prudente added.

On her part, DOLE Surigao del Norte Field office head, May C. Velonta said that the release of the P72 million TUPAD allocation in the province is a testament of DOLE’s dedication and commitment in providing assistance to the unserved and underserved in the society.

As the TUPAD program continues to touch the lives of countless individuals with the continuous effort and support from various stakeholders, it is expected to thrive and help  alleviate poverty in the province of Surigao del Norte. 

TUPAD is a community-based package of aid from the DOLE that offers temporary employment to seasonal, underemployed, and displaced workers. This program provides immediate intervention to individuals affected by disaster, calamity and emergencies. (SDR,PIA-Surigao del Norte with report from DOLE-SDN)