1,500 quake-hit workers eyed for emergency employment in Cebu

MORE than 1,500 displaced workers are being considered for emergency employment assistance by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu on September 30, 2025.

In a brief statement, DOLE said the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (Tupad) program will be extended to 1,513 affected workers in areas hit hardest by the quake.

“The assistance will provide emergency employment to a total of 1,513 affected workers in the areas most severely affected by the earthquake,” DOLE said.

The beneficiaries include displaced workers in Cebu City (862), San Remigio (163), Medellin (163), Sogod (81), Daanbantayan (81), and Bogo City (163).

“The department has allocated an initial P11 million for the Tupad program,” DOLE added.

The magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Cebu on Tuesday night, September 30, with its epicenter located about 21 kilometers northeast of Bogo City.

According to reports, the quake affected at least 209,972 families, or about 372,513 individuals.

Tupad is a safety net program that provides emergency employment for a period of 10 to 90 days, depending on the nature of work. Beneficiaries are engaged in community projects such as repair, maintenance, and improvement of public facilities and infrastructure; debris clearing; canal declogging; tree planting; seedling preparation; and reforestation, among others.

Each beneficiary will receive a daily wage equivalent to the highest minimum wage rate in the region. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)