GOV’T LAUNCHES TUPAD TULOY PASADA PROGRAM TO SUPPORT TRANSPORT WORKERS

ON orders of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the Labor and Transportation Departments officially launched the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Tuloy Pasada Program to provide continuous and additional livelihood opportunities for Filipinos.

In a Palace press briefing, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the program aims to ease the financial burden of drivers and other workers in the transportation sector affected by the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, while providing them with additional daily income.

The TUPAD program is a joint initiative of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), led by Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, and the Department of Transportation (DOTr), headed by Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez.

The program was first rolled out Monday, benefiting an initial 134 public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers who received minimum wage for 20 days, on top of their regular earnings.

Covered under the initial implementation are drivers operating along the routes Anonas/Aurora-Lagro, Fairview Dahlia-Cubao Arayat, Fairview Wet Market-Cubao New York, and Lagro-SM North EDSA.

“Ngayong araw, aabot sa 400 beneficiaries mula sa General Luna at Dapa sa Surigao ang mabibigyan ng sampung araw na minimum wage sa March 24 hanggang April 7.”

The government has said it remains committed to prioritizing the welfare of the Filipinos, and that no one will be left behind in Bagong Pilipinas.

“Sa likod ng mga pagsubok dulot ng kaguluhan sa ibayong dagat walang patid ang Pangulo sa pagbibigay ng tulong sa ating mga kababayan,” Castro said.