Antique: The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) provincial office in Antique is set to release PHP10.9 million in wages to 1,849 beneficiaries of its emergency employment program on May 1. This payout will be a part of the Labor Day celebrations in the province.

According to Philippines News Agency, Provincial Office Senior Labor and Employment Officer Benjie Requintina confirmed in an interview that the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced (TUPAD) workers began their assignments on April 17 and will conclude on April 26. The beneficiaries are from the municipalities of Hamtic, Caluya, Laua-an, San Jose de Buenavista, Bugasong, Valderrama, Sibalom, and Anini-y.

Each TUPAD worker is set to receive PHP5,500 for their 10-day employment, which can be collected from Palawan Pawnshop, DOLE's remittance partner. The workers engaged in activities such as community gardening, mangrove planting, and clearing mountain trails in upland barangays, tailored to the needs of their local government units (LGUs) and the approved program of work by DOLE.

Requintina also stated that due to the extreme heat index, LGUs have the flexibility to adjust TUPAD workers' hours, ensuring they complete six hours a day. Adjustments must be communicated to the provincial office. For instance, in San Jose de Buenavista, workers start at 6 a.m. to mitigate risks of heat stroke and exhaustion.

The 1,849 TUPAD workers represent the second batch of beneficiaries for the province this year, following the first batch implemented earlier.