LABOR Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma yesterday said insulating the social assistance programs of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) from politics ahead of the May 2025 elections is a challenge.
In a radio interview, Laguesma said it has been a perennial issue for DOLE to prevent the involvement of politicians in their social services programs, such as the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD).
“It (politicians’ involvement) is actually one of the challenges for DOLE since many of our beneficiaries are constituents of local government officials and politicians,” he said, pointing out that “we don’t have strict regulations or prohibitions if the politicians show up or happen to pass by during such activities.”
He added that its programs, such as TUPAD, are usually done in partnership with local government units.
Still, the labor chief assured the public that DOLE will exert all efforts to prevent politicians from using the program to gain electoral advantages.
“We will closely monitor the implementation of the programs and make sure that they adhere to DOLE guidelines,” said Laguesma.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has exempted nine social services programs of the DOLE from the election spending ban.
One of the conditions of the Comelec exemptions, however, is that the DOLE programs “shall not, in any manner, influence the conduct” of the 2025 polls.
