DISPLACED workers and public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers enrolled under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (Tupad) program are expected to receive their salary within the first week of April.
Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) supervising commissioner for Mindanao and Tupad coordinator Norman Baloro said beneficiaries for the cash for work program of the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole), which include 500 displaced vendors of the Roxas Night Market and some 2,000 PUJ drivers, are expected to submit their daily time record (DTR) form.
He said the displaced vendors, which started working under the program since March 17, are currently working with the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) in improving the Roxas Night Market and some parts of the city through landscaping, cleaning, painting, and tree planting.
PUJ drivers, who started operating March 25 under Tupad program, are ordered to continue driving provided that they ensure that social distancing and proper sanitation of the vehicle is observed.
All Tupad beneficiaries, Baloro said, will be working from Monday to Friday, excluding holidays, for a maximum of 30 days, with a daily wage of P396.
"Tanan atong ginahatag nga guidelines based sa guidelines approved (by the) city government and Dole. Pinakataas na days na pwede i-extend is 30 days per household (All our guidelines in providing assistance to our beneficiaries were based on the approved guidelines set by the city government and Dole. The maximum days we can give them in our program is 30 days per household)," Baloro said.
Meanwhile, he said there is still an estimated 400 slots left for PUJs to avail of the Tupad program.
He said there were suggestions from those operating other public utility
vehicles to give them the remaining slot in case other jeepney drivers will not avail of the financial assistance.
"We cannot divert that to other sector, or the other public transport sector because it is allotted for the PUJ drivers," Baloro said.
Meanwhile, he reminded the vendors and drivers not to submit their DTRs in the offices of City Social Welfare and Development Office, City Transport and Traffic Management Office, or to the Public Employment Service Office (Peso), as the City Government will be assigning point persons who will monitor them on the field and are deployed to collect their DTR.