Employees of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Northern Cebu whose livelihood have been disrupted by the recent calamity will receive emergency assistance through the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program.
DOLE-7 regional director Roy Buenafe said the agency has allocated P11 million for the program, which is expected to benefit over a thousand displaced workers in Northern Cebu.
He said several workers lost their daily wages after operations in their workplaces were suspended, with some employers unable to provide compensation due to financial or personal difficulties.
‘To ensure that affected workers will not be left without income, we will provide them with TUPAD. For the first 10 days, they will receive minimum wage of P540 daily or a total of P5,400,’ he said.
Under the scheme, displaced employees will be tasked with clearing debris, cleaning workplaces, and assisting in community rehabilitation to make business operations viable again.
DOLE said it is coordinating with local governments, which have better knowledge of affected enterprises and workers.
‘Our priority is to assist disrupted and displaced workers immediately,’ Buenafe added.
Employers were also reminded that they cannot compel employees to report for work if there is imminent danger to their safety. ‘Absences under such conditions cannot be a ground for suspension or termination,’ DOLE said.
The labor department further urged affected workers to register with DOLE personnel deployed in the field so assistance can be extended as quickly as possible.
‘We need businesses to come back so people can sustain their livelihood, but in the meantime, we will ensure that no worker is left behind,’ Buenafe said.
The TUPAD program provides emergency employment and livelihood opportunities to those who have lost their jobs or sources of income due to crises.