Virac, Catanduanes - At least 3,604 abaca farmer-beneficiaries in Catanduanes will benefit from the TUPAD Program of the Department of Labor and Employment early this year.

DOLE Bicol, thru its DOLE Catanduanes Provincial Office, has awarded the Provincial Government of Catanduanes as an accredited co-partner of DOLE, a TUPAD check amounting to PHP 19,726,425.00 at Catanduanes Provincial Capitol on February 1, 2023.

Newly installed DOLE Catanduanes Provincial Head / Asst. Regional Director Imelda E. Romanillos, together with Senior LEO Jomell Pasano and TUPAD Program Focal Kim Zuñiga, personally handed the said check to Catanduanes Governor Joseph "Boboy" Cua.

Tagged as "Abaca Rehab", the project aims to rehabilitate the abaca plantations province-wide to recover from the devastation caused by the recent typhoons that brought havoc to the Bicol Region.

The beneficiaries will be working for 15 days and will receive a minimum salary of P365 per day. They will be engaged in the clearing of forest debris and underbrush and planting of abaca trees in their farms, backyards, and plantations. Before starting their work, they will attend the orientation on the TUPAD program, including safety and health and basic first aid management. Also, they will be provided with complete personal protective equipment and enrolled under the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

TUPAD is a short-term emergency employment program of DOLE to mitigate the impact of calamities, disasters, and epidemics on workers in the informal sector.

Report from: Jomell Pasano

/ISO PR Code:2023_gud_Feb_2_ Over 3k abaca farmers in Catanduanes to benefit from TUPAD

For Release:

MA. ZENAIDA A. ANGARA-CAMPITA, CESO III

Regional Director