ILOILO City – The distribution of financial assistance programs, particularly the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD), will not be influenced or used by politicians, especially with the upcoming election period approaching, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) assured the public.
DOLE Region 6 officer-in-charge Assistant Regional Director and Technical Support Services Division chief Melisa Navarra said all actions by politicians during the election period, particularly the campaign period, are regulated by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
She also expressed confidence that politicians are aware of the “dos and don’ts” during election season.
Navarra emphasized that DOLE-6 ensures the focus remains solely on TUPAD-related topics during program orientations with beneficiaries.
“I believe they (politicians) are aware of their responsibilities during the campaign period. As for us, we stick to discussing our program and DOLE services during orientations,” Navarra explained.
DOLE Regional Office 6 and its Field Offices have also cautioned program coordinators and personnel to prevent elected officials from discussing election-related matters during orientations.
“We advise our coordinators and personnel not to allow any form of political endorsement or election-related discussions during the program orientation. While we respect the presence of elected officials, we make it clear to them beforehand that the orientation should strictly focus on our program,” Navarra added.
Additionally, DOLE-6 discourages the wearing of shirts bearing politicians’ names during project orientations. Instead, DOLE-6 provides beneficiaries with personal protective equipment, such as T-shirts and hats, which are to be worn during orientation and work activities.
Navarra further explained that DOLE-6 works closely with elected officials to ensure that the TUPAD program is not used for personal or political gain. Politicians are encouraged to create or launch their own activities if they wish to gather constituents.
From July 2020 to August 2024, data from DOLE-6 shows that a total of 504,450 beneficiaries in the region were provided temporary wage employment under the TUPAD program, with a total of P2,457,926,717 released.
According to Navarra, TUPAD is a community-based assistance package aimed at disadvantaged workers. It is a short-term program that provides temporary wage employment.
Under the program, beneficiaries work in their community or barangay for a period of 10 to 90 days, depending on the type of work program they are involved in. Each beneficiary receives a daily wage of P480 and is required to render at least four hours of work per day./PN
