A MILLION Filipinos may be affected by the reduction in the Labor department’s budget for its livelihood program for displaced workers, a senator said on Wednesday.
Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, who heads the Finance committee, said that the P6.3-billion reduction in the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DoLE) budget for the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program could impact “more or less a million” Filipinos.
“There were 4.2 million TUPAD beneficiaries in 2024. It will be reduced by around one-third, so that’s almost one million,” he said during the discussion on the department’s proposed P44.38-billion budget for 2026.
The 2026 National Expenditure Program allocated P11.03 billion for the TUPAD program, representing a 36% drop from the P17.35 billion allocated for this year.
Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma said that about 50% of the 4 million beneficiaries from calamity areas were aided by the cash assistance program.
“If we look at the number of typhoons that hit the Philippines in 2024, we can say that 50% of the total number benefited from TUPAD,” he said.
Labor Assistant Secretary Amuerfina R. Reyes said that the reduced budget would impact the number of beneficiaries under the programs.
“The number of beneficiaries would be impacted, most notably in times of calamities or emergencies,” she told senators.
The agency’s TUPAD program provides short-term, community-based emergency employment to displaced, underemployed, and seasonal workers.
Beneficiaries under the program work for a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 30 days on community projects and receive a wage based on the regional minimum wage.
“It has been emphasized that this is a stop gap measure. This is temporary employment,” she told senators.
“If the support in terms of financial (aspect) is reduced, it will definitely have a domino effect, not only in terms of the number but in terms of the quality of intervention for our people who need us the most in times of emergencies and calamities,” she added. — Adrian H. Halili
