Over P1.8 billion in wages and livelihood assistance is being distributed on May 1 by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to over 313,000 workers in a nationwide simultaneous awarding ceremony in celebration of Labor Day.

The amount includes the wages of informal sector workers employed under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program, livelihood assistance to vulnerable and marginalized workers under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) or Kabuhayan Program, stipends of government interns under the DOLE-Government Internship Program (GIP), and salaries of young workers under the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES).

These are among the labor department’s various programs in support of the government’s efforts “to reinvigorate job creation and accelerate poverty reduction by steering the economy back on a high-growth path.”

The total amount to be awarded is P1.877 billion to 313,943 beneficiaries.

Under TUPAD, a total of 267,665 beneficiaries will receive their wages amounting to P1,335,074,096.50; under DILP a total of 26,072 beneficiaries will receive livelihood aid amounting to P428,019,961.91; under GIP, 10,810 beneficiaries will receive their stipend amounting to P68,320,433.63; and under SPES, DOLE will distribute its share in the salaries of 8,469 beneficiaries amounting to P40,973,279.11.

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will also distribute starter toolkits to 927 beneficiaries amounting to P4,860,943.

TUPAD is a community-based package of assistance that provides emergency employment to underemployed, laid-off, terminated, or self-employed workers, including farmers and fishermen, for a minimum of 10 days but not to exceed 90 days, depending on the nature of work to be done.

The beneficiaries include 17,740 TUPAD workers from the National Capital Region (NCR); 25,636 from the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR); 21,954 from the Ilocos Region; 8,335 from the Cagayan Valley Region; 16,758 from Central Luzon; 7,439 from CALABARZON; 5,381 from MIMAROPA; 19,955 from the Bicol Region; 11,458 from Western Visayas; 18,045 from Central Visayas; 48,944 from Eastern Visayas; 8,931 from Zamboanga Peninsula Region; 28,130 from Northern Mindanao; 7,255 from Davao Region; 7,730 from SOCCSKSARGEN; and 13,974 from Caraga.

Meanwhile, under the DILP or the Kabuhayan Program, 26,072 vulnerable and marginalized workers nationwide will receive livelihood assistance amounting to over P428 million.

Kabuhayan Program opens economic opportunities to vulnerable and marginalized workers by providing them grant assistance on entrepreneurial ventures, for either individual or group undertaking.

Among the livelihood assistance to be awarded were related to food vending (Nego-Kart); fishing (fishing boats); farming (farm equipment, farm inputs, vegetable production); tailoring and dressmaking; food production (rice and corn production, bangus production, banana chips production, bakery, kakanin making, tablea making); and welding and vulcanizing services.

Meanwhile, the Department will also disburse over P68 million for the stipends of 10,810 youth interns under the GIP; and over P40 million as government share for the salaries of 8,469 workers under SPES.

The DOLE implements GIP and SPES to provide work opportunities to the youth and enable them to earn money or continue their studies.

The GIP provides three to six months of internship opportunity for high school, technical-vocational, or college graduates who want to pursue a career in public service in either local or national government.

The SPES, meanwhile, is DOLE’s youth employment-bridging program which aims to provide temporary employment to poor but deserving students, out-of-school youth, and dependents of displaced or would-be displaced workers to augment the family’s income to help ensure that beneficiaries are able to pursue their education.

This year’s Labor Day is observed with the theme, “Pabahay, Bilihing Abot-Presyo, Benepisyo ng Matatag na Trabaho Para sa Manggagawang Pilipino.” END/ aldm