THE office of the Third District Representative Aurelio Gonzales Jr., in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole), led the orientation of the beneficiaries of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers Program (Tupad) at the former’s district office in Barangay Anao in Mexico town, Pampanga.

The 647 beneficiaries were selected from Bacolor, Arayat, Mexico, San Fernando, and Sta. Ana towns.

The basis for the selection was based on the beneficiaries’ economic background and the town from which they came from.

Tupad is a community-based package of assistance that provides emergency employment for displaced workers, underemployed and unemployed indigents.

It is a component of the Dole Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program. Tupad also aims to uplift displaced or marginalized workers and their communities.

Under the program, each beneficiary is hired to work for a minimum of 10 days with a daily pay based on the prevailing minimum wage.

Each will be provided protective clothing and head gear and enrolled for insurance coverage with the Government Service Insurance System covering the entire duration of their work program.

Rep. Gonzales said the program will greatly help his constituents, adding those in the marginal sections of the community need all the help they can get. Gonzales urged the beneficiaries to take the program seriously and strive to excel in the work given to them.

Tupad is one of the flagship programs under the Dole Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP).

Through the DILEEP, self-employed workers with insufficient income, marginalized and landless farmers, unpaid family workers, parents of child laborers, low wage and season workers, and workers displaced or to be displaced by natural or man-made disasters can now easily avail or access DOLE’s livelihood and emergency employment programs and services.