MANILA, Philippines — Over 500,000 displaced workers in Central Visayas were given emergency employment last year, according to the Department of Labor and Employment.
DOLE-Central Visayas officer-in-charge Lilia Estillore yesterday said the agency disbursed P2.8 billion under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced or TUPAD workers.
The amount was used to pay for the salaries of the TUPAD beneficiaries, who worked from 10 to 30 days depending on the nature of the project.
The nature of work mostly involved social community, economic and agro-forestry services.
The province of Cebu posted the highest amount of salary paid to at least 280,000 TUPAD beneficiaries with P1.2 million.
Bohol had 130,386 TUPAD workers who were paid P556,000.
In Negros Oriental, almost 100,000 workers benefitted from the TUPAD project with a total of P500,000 paid for their wages.
The cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue registered 101,923 TUPAD workers who received a collective amount of P440,000 in salary.
Estillore said most of the TUPAD beneficiaries were displaced by Typhoon Odette.