WITH the implementation of Alert Level 1 looming in Metro Manila, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday said it is now looking at redirecting its emergency employment program to other regions.
In a virtual press briefing, Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC) Director Karen Trayvilla said the agency is looking at offering the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program in areas that will not shift to a lower alert level.
“We have to refocus in implementing TUPAD in areas with higher alert statuses. We must shift our funds to those areas,” she said.
This, she explained, means that they will be allocating more funding for possible worker-beneficiaries to regions or areas under higher alert levels.
“We will focus on those areas because they will need the assistance as compared to areas with more relaxed economy,” added the labor official.
TUPAD is an emergency employment assistance where displaced informal sector workers are paid with the minimum wage prevailing in their respective regions in exchange of community-based work.
At the same time, Trayvilla called on local government officials running in the May 9 elections to insulate the emergency employment program in their campaign activities.
“We would like to remind our partner LGUs on the proper use of the TUPAD name. We advocate for its integrity because TUPAD is a service mark of DOLE,” said Trayvilla, adding: “In all aspects of the program, we avoid situations where it can be used for politics.”
In addition, the labor official said they are legally protected to have exclusive use of the TUPAD as a program.
“It is not allowed to be used by other entities because we are registered with the Intellectual Property Office. We have been issued with a copy of registration from the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) so we have a legal protection for TUPAD,” added Trayvilla.
On their own, she said field officials of DOLE have also been exerting efforts to make sure that no candidate can take credit for the emergency employment program.
“We have safeguards in the program by making sure that only legitimate beneficiaries may avail. We have validation procedures in our system,” said Trayvilla.
“In our pay out events, we have tarpaulins that emphasize that it is a DOLE program, and not of others,” she also said.
