San Fernando, Pampanga—The Department of Labor and Employment in Central Luzon has launched an emergency program worth P6 million that benefited 1,466 residents who were victims of calamities that hit Pampanga and other provinces of the region.
Zenaida Angara-Campita, DOLE Central Luzon regional director, said the “Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantage/Displaced Workers” (TUPAD) program was launched for typhoon-affected communities in Pampanga as the government’s initial step to assure their early recovery.
“Each of the 1,466 beneficiaries received P4,200 from DOLE for service rendered such as cleaning and declogging canals, clearing of road debris, and basic repair and maintenance of common infrastructures in the area,” Campita said.
The beneficiaries come mostly from coastal towns of Pampanga and are part of the total 323 persons or 76 families dislocated by typhoons in the region as reported by the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council in Central Luzon.
The council also said about 745 barangays in 110 cities and municipalities were also affected by calamities that hit the region.
The DOLE program lasted from 10 to 30 days depending on the nature of the work the recipients performed.
Aside from the salary they received based on the prevailing minimum wage in Central Luzon, Campita said the beneficiaries were also provided with social protection to ensure work safety under Government Service Insurance System microinsurance.
She said they partnered with different public services in profiling marginalize head of households in the calamity-stricken areas in the provinces and other parts of the region to locate the victims.
“This way we can help them little while recovering from the calamities,” Campita added.
The anti-poverty program of the government is a community-based package of assistance that provides emergency employment for displaced workers, underemployed poor, and other marginalized sectors in the country.
In a related development, communities near the Clark Development Corp. received relief goods under its corporate conscience program.
Those who received goods include those living in barangay Manuali in Porac, Pampanga and they received 120 pieces of 5 gallons of bottled water and 120 packs of relief goods.
The other beneficiaries of the annual corporate conscience of the Freeport were those residents barangay San Vicente in Bamban, Tarlac who received 110 pieces of bottled water (five-gallon size).
The annual event of the CDC is in coordination with the Clark Locators and Investor Association.