One thousand two hundred thirty-two (1,232) displaced workers from the 5th district of Negros Occidental began their three-day orientation for the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD), one of the social services projects of Congresswoman Ma. Lourdes “Marilou” Arroyo in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

These displaced workers from the municipalities of La Castellana, Isabela, Hinigaran, Binalbagan, and Moises Padilla and Himamaylan City will be employed for 15 working days and will receive a minimum wage of P365 per day or a total of P5,475 including the P256 for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and P50 insurance for the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

They will be engaged in community projects such as repair, maintenance, and improvement of public utilities and infrastructures; declogging of canals, debris clearing, and rehabilitation of farm-to-market roads and similar facilities; tree planting, seedling preparation, and other agro-forestry community projects.

In her speech, Nicole Arroyo-Jacinto affirmed her mother’s strong commitment to help the hardworking people of the 5th District.

“My mother knows from the heart how hardworking the people of the 5th district are. Especially since we, the Arroyos, are from here. She knows that with the current situation, there are no enough jobs available. But she is always there, working really hard in Congress to help you, and to bring progress– the progress you deserve to our district,” she said.

TUPAD, a community-based package of assistance program of DOLE, provides emergency employment for displaced workers, self-employed and those who have lost their livelihoods because of natural calamities or disasters, as well as to the underemployed and unemployed workers./DGB, WDJ