DESPITE a ban on government assistance programs due to the forthcoming elections that took effect yesterday, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said its Employment Assistance to Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (Tupad) program will continue.
In an interview at the sidelines of the 2025 Labor Day celebration in Pasay City, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said they will not cease providing emergency employment program between May 2 to 12 as mandated by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
“We will continue processing those that are eligible for the program. We cannot stop providing government services,” said Laguesma.
“It is not prohibited to deliver services. If there are applicants in need, we will process them,” he added.
The labor chief, however, stressed that they won’t be violating the ban the poll body has imposed.
This, he said, as they won’t be handing out payments to the Tupad beneficiaries.
“What will be suspended is the payment so that we can remove allegations that the program is being used for vote buying,” he said.
“We don’t want this beautiful program to be tainted with politics. By Friday, payouts shall be prohibited,” added Laguesma.
Tupad is an emergency employment assistance wherein displaced workers are hired by the government for a limited period of community work.
In turn, worker-beneficiaries are paid with the prevailing minimum wage rate in their respective regions.
The Comelec imposed a total ban on the distribution of government assistance, including Tupad, from May 2 to 12.
Excluded, though, are the medical and burial assistance from the government.
