BUDGET INTERPELLATION QUESTIONS FOR DOLE’s TUPAD PROGRAM Notable items/areas in the budget DOLE TUPAD (Tulong PangHanapbuhay Para sa mga Disadvantage /Displaced Workers)
Issues
Questions
● In the Senate’s committee report on the 2022 proposed budget, we laud our chamber’s decision to increase the budget for Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers or TUPAD.COA audited the DOLE TUPAD program and among the findings is the unreleased amounts from the money remittances and double payment of beneficiaries. ● On many instances, the DOH admitted that only about 50% of the supposed close contacts of COVID-19 positive are being traced. The DOLE, MMDA, and DOH have agreed to employ contact tracers through the TUPAD program.
● Since the beneficiaries of TUPAD are on application basis, in 2022 we are looking into or projecting how many beneficiaries of the program? ● Is the increase in its budget sufficient to address the projected levels of unemployment and underemployment rate? ● Has the DOLE as the implementing agency addressed the issue of unreleased payments to TUPAD beneficiaries? ● A large number of contact tracers were hired under the TUPAD program. How effective was this program in helping our country contain the COVID-19 infections? Were the contact tracers able to undergo proper training to be effective in their tasks?
● Noting that the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program has been extremely effective in providing temporary employment opportunities for
● How is the DOLE addressing concerns of fraud and irregularities in the implementation of the TUPAD program?
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those who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello emphasized that the labor department will continue to implement the program in order to benefit more Filipinos.
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