MANILA -- All Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional and District Engineering Offices nationwide simultaneously launched on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 its Assistance to Youth and Unemployed for Development and Advancement or AYUDA Program which aims to provide local employment opportunities especially to the displaced workers because of the pandemic.

“AYUDA was launched so that we can maximize our Build, Build, Build Program by hiring unemployed youth and those who lost their jobs, allowing our kababayans to recover from COVID-19 and at the same time contribute to our public infrastructure development nationwide,” said DPWH Secretary Roger G. Mercado during the program launching at the Rizal Park, Manila.

The event was attended by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benjamin "Benhur" C. Abalos Jr.; DPWH Senior Undersecretary Rafael C. Yabut; Undersecretaries Maximo L. Carvajal, Roberto R. Bernardo, Eugenio R. Pipo Jr., Emil K. Sadain, and Maria Catalina E. Cabral; Assistant Secretaries Wilfredo Mallari, Ador G. Canlas, Eric A. Ayapana, and Mel John I. Versoza; NCR Director Nomer Abel P. Canlas; and other public works officials. 

“The goal is to at least hire one (1) member per household to guarantee food on the table of Filipino households that are struggling to make ends meet,” added Secretary Mercado added.          

Hired applicants will be part of the DPWH maintenance work force responsible in ensuring cleanliness and obstruction-free roads through street sweeping, cleaning of street signs, hauling waste materials, and painting of concrete barriers.

A certification of employment will be issued to beneficiaries which they may use for future employment.

The DPWH AYUDA was conceptualized from previous DPWH employment programs:  Out-of-School Youth toward Economic Recovery (OYSTER) program and the Kalsada Natin Alagaan Natin (KNAN) program. (DPWH)