Naga secures funds to aid 2,000 families in recovery efforts

By Jason B. Neola

NAGA City Mayor Nelson Legacion has successfully obtained P10 million in financial assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to implement the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Displaced/Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) program.

The TUPAD initiative provides emergency employment for informal sector workers, underemployed individuals, self-employed, and displaced marginalized workers whose livelihoods have been impacted by disasters and calamities.

Roderick Reforsado, manager of the Metro Naga Public Employment Service Office (Metro PESO), shared that over 2,000 Nagueño families are set to benefit from the program.

Beneficiaries will be employed in recovery and restoration efforts following the devastation caused by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, which left the city with flooding and hundreds of tons of mud and debris.

On Monday, November 4, Metro PESO submitted an initial 1,000 names of potential beneficiaries to the DOLE provincial office. The DOLE will review each applicant’s profile to confirm their eligibility under the program, which prioritizes informal workers, underemployed, self-employed, seasonal workers, and those who have lost their livelihood due to the storm’s impact. Metro PESO plans to submit an additional 1,000 names the following day for the same purpose.

Upon DOLE’s approval and issuance of a “notice to proceed,” Metro PESO will mobilize the qualified workers in their respective areas to assist with the city’s restoration initiatives.

Additionally, the city government has secured P1 million from Senator Joel Villanueva’s office to employ another 210 heads of families or their representatives.

The total funding for these projects, which Mayor Legacion facilitated, will allow the city to extend further assistance to vulnerable workers as Naga rebuilds.