FLAGGED | DOLE asks regional office to answer anomalies in TUPAD program in Pampanga

May 20, 2022 , 02:03 PM

(May 20, 2022) – After the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged irregularities, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) asked its regional office in Central Luzon to explain the exposed issues in the implementation of its assistance program for displaced workers.

DOLE secretary Silvestre Bello III said the payments for Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged at Displaced Workers (TUPAD) should have been distributed to the beneficiaries themselves. He was reacting to findings that one person was able to claim the payment for 35 beneficiaries.

“Agad-agad nag-issue ako ng direktiba na mag-submit sa akin ‘yung regional director namin diyan sa Region III para ipaliwanag sa akin kung anong nanagyari,” said Bello on Ted Failon and DJ Chacha sa Radyo 5. “Hindi puwede ‘yun na isang tao ang magdi-distribute.”

On Wednesday, the COA published a report questioning the distribution of TUPAD funds in Pampanga. Of the 21,710 beneficiaries, more than 5,000 have the same name, birth date, contact number, type of identification (ID) card, or the ID number itself. ID cloning was the most common.

The town of Lubao had the highest number of suspicious beneficiaries at 1,365. It was followed by Arayat with 1,290, Magalang with 906, Mexico with 903, and Sasmuan with 490. It was in Magalang where a single person was able to collect payouts for 35 people.

Some of the phone numbers provided were no longer working which made the verification difficult.

“It would be difficult to confirm actual receipt by the beneficiary of the financial assistance since most of the numbers called belong only to one beneficiary. Moreover, the registered 850 contact numbers were not reliable since these can neither be reached nor with the correct number,” read the COA report.

TUPAD allows displaced workers to work for 10 days to one month on social, economic, and agro-forestry community projects. Beneficiaries in Central Luzon are entitled to a stipend of P420 per day or P4,200 if they completed the minimum length of work.

Bello said the beneficiaries can only receive their payment through remittance centers, adding that personal payouts only happen under limited circumstances.

“Walang dinadaanang kamay ‘yan kundi ‘yung mismong benepisyaryo ang makakatanggap niyan,” said Bello.

Media reports said the Public Employment Services Office of Pampanga will reevaluate its procedures to comply with the guidelines set by the COA. Nevertheless, Bello said he will await the response of the provincial unit to rectify the alleged irregularities.

“Hindi dapat nangyayari ‘yan eh, kaya these are very isolated kasi ordinarily direct sa benepisyaryo (ang bayad),” said Bello.

TUPAD was enhanced by DOLE to mitigate the crippling effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on displaced workers. According to DOLE last December, close to two million individuals have benefited from the program.

(PM)

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