DOLE: Aid for displaced workers, disaster victims is not used for Chacha

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma explains to lawmakers during the discussions on DOLE’s proposed 2024 national budget that emergency employment projects get a high allocation due to the high number of calamities affecting the country yearly. (Screenshot from House of Representatives’ livestream)

MANILA, Philippines — The ‘Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (Tupad)’ program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is not being used to push for the amendment of the 1987 Constitution.

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma made the clarification in an interview over Radyo 630 on Friday.

He is reacting to the statement of Bayan Muna chairperson Neri Colmenares.

Colmenares said people are being told to sign up for charter change.

At the same time, they are also being made to believe that once the Constitution is amended, the next step is that ‘Tupad’ would be enacted into law.

Colmenares cited these alleged instances in an interview over Radio 630 on Wednesday.

But Laguesma pointed out Tupad’s only aim is to assist displaced workers and persons affected by calamities.

“Kami po ay hindi bahagi ng ano mang hakbangin na hindi po naaayon doon sa alituntunin kung bakit mayroon tayong programa na tinatawag nating Tupad,” he said.

(We are not part of any undertaking that does not adhere to the guidelines on why we have a program called Tupad.)

DOLE will ask government investigating agencies to go after individuals supposedly spreading malicious information about Tupad.

“Gusto po naming bigyan ng abiso ang ating mga kababayan na nais maka-avail ng programa ng DOLE na walang ganitong klase ng conditionality,” he said.

(We would like to inform our fellow citizens who wish to avail themselves of the DOLE program that there are no such conditions.)

He also directed DOLE regional directors to ensure that the project will not be used for Chacha in any way.