MANILA -- The government is delivering aid for Covid 19-hit workers regardless of the size of their province, city or barangay, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said DOLE aid initiatives led by the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced workers (TUPAD) program are rolling out in many localities whether they are big or small.

“It doesn’t matter if the location is tiny or large. As long as there are workers affected by the pandemic, assistance from the state will come,” Bello explained.

The Labor chief yesterday distributed over P4.9 million in TUPAD payouts to more than a thousand beneficiaries in the municipality of Noveleta in Cavite.

Earlier on Wednesday, Bello led officials and employees of the labor department in the clean-up of the Dolomite area in Roxas Boulevard as part of DOLE's celebration of its 88th anniversary.

"This is part of our thanksgiving for the successes of DOLE in serving our workers and the people especially during the pandemic," Bello said.

The DOLE officials and employees donned TUPAD shirts during the clean-up.

Local executives led by Mayor Dino Reyes Chua thanked Bello for bringing TUPAD, the government's cash for work program, in Noveleta even though it’s a small place.

Noveleta is the smallest municipality in Cavite with an area of 6.34 square miles and a population of a little more than 49,000.      

“Our workers should be grateful to DOLE for remembering Noveleta in the rollout of TUPAD,” the local leaders said.

However, Bello said the beneficiaries have nothing to be thankful about because TUPAD funds are peoples’ money.

“Ang utos sa akin ni Pangulong Duterte ay ipamigay ang pondo ng gobyerno sa mga tao partikular sa mga manggagawa dahil pera nila ‘yan,” he added.

Upon orders of President Duterte, Bello has been going around the country with financial assistance in hand for needy workers.

Recently, Bello and other top DOLE officials went to Bicol Province to implement DOLE aid programs. (DOLE)