Labor Secretary Bello awards P4.8M livelihood grants, leads payout to TUPAD workers in Samar

By NORMA RAE S. COSTIMIANO
May 26, 2021

CATBALOGAN CITY – A total of P975,000.00 TUPAD wages have been successfully paid to some three hundred (300) disadvantaged/displaced workers of Hinabangan, Samar on Friday, 21 May 2021 at Brgy. Maulong Covered Court, this city.

Each beneficiary received P3,250.00 as payment for their 10-day service.

Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III led the said payout together with Undersecretary Renato L. Ebarle, Director Ma. Karina Perida-Trayvilla of the Bureau of Workers with Special Concern (BWSC) and Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). He was assisted by DOLE-RO8 Regional Director Henry John S. Jalbuena and DOLE Samar Provincial Head, Ms. Fe Norma D. Valuis.

Aside from TUPAD, Secretary Bello likewise awarded livelihood grants amounting to P4.8 million pesos to aid some 160 parents and guardians of child laborers from the different barangays of Catbalogan. From the said beneficiaries, twenty-five (25) with employable skills will be referred to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to avail of the agency’s innovative skills training programs that will generate greater employment opportunities.

Samar 2nd District Representative, Congresswoman Sharee Ann Tan and Governor Reynolds Michael Tan warmly welcomed the DOLE Secretary and his team to the City of Catbalogan and likewise graced the Opening and Awarding Ceremonies up to the pay-out of wages.

Bello extended his greetings and thanks to the beneficiaries and gave them some words of encouragement in this time of pandemic.

“I am very pleased to be here today to see your smiling faces. May this help from our government brings hope to you and your families and somehow ease the burdens you are experiencing because of the pandemic”, said Bello.

The labor chief likewise thanked the active leaders in Samar for supporting the DOLE programs and implementing the same in the province for the benefit of more workers.

“Let me thank from the bottom of my heart Congresswoman Sharee Ann Tan and Governor Reynolds Michael Tan. Because of your relentless support, we are able to reach and benefit more people with our livelihood and employment programs,” Bello added.