Southern leyte: Seventy persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Sogod District Jail in Southern Leyte have been engaged by the Department of Labor and Employment in Eastern Visayas (DOLE-8) through the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program for the repair and maintenance of jail facilities.

According to Philippines News Agency, the PDL beneficiaries participated in 20 days of work, which included cleaning, sanitation, repainting, and minor repairs of the jail facilities. These activities are part of a broader initiative where a total of 620 TUPAD beneficiaries completed community-based work across the municipalities of Sogod and Silago.

The TUPAD program also encompassed other projects such as hydroponic farming, community vegetable gardening, Crown-of-Thorns starfish eradication, and the cleaning and maintenance of public facilities. Overall, DOLE-8 distributed PHP9.91 million in emergency employment wages and livelihood assistance to 989 vulnerable and displaced workers in Southern Leyte.

Joan Nidua, DOLE-8 Officer-in-Charge Regional Director, stated in a news release that the program's implementation reflects the Department's balanced approach in addressing workers' immediate needs while paving the way for long-term economic self-reliance. In addition to TUPAD payouts, DOLE-8 also provided PHP200,000 in livelihood assistance to the Dongon Farmers' Association in Maasin City for its vegetable farming project and distributed PHP3.94 million in livelihood grants to 323 beneficiaries in Tomas Oppus under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program.

DOLE-8 emphasized that the implementation of TUPAD and livelihood assistance programs aims to offer immediate income support and help beneficiaries, including PDL, to develop productive skills and prepare for sustainable sources of livelihood.