Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte has warned the public about fake Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) claimants, vowing to pursue those behind the fraudulent act together with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
“It has come to my attention that there are people involved in defrauding our government through the DOLE’s TUPAD program. My office and the DOLE office have taken steps to arrest these people,” he said in a statement Tuesday.
Duterte said there is no place in the city for people who are “scammers and deceitful,” and that those involved must be punished.
“Despite the hard work of our friends at DOLE, the barangay officials, and my office, many people did not get the benefit of TUPAD because there are some people who claimed it on their behalf, using multiple names per person,” the lawmaker said.
The theft of government money, he said, was more vile considering that it was done at a time when the country is in crisis.
Records from Duterte’s office showed the congressional office has already served more than 30,000 individuals through the TUPAD program from 2020 to 2021. It is validating the number for this year’s beneficiaries.
TUPAD is an institutionalized program implemented especially during calamities, typhoons, and disasters.
It is a community-based amelioration program that provides emergency employment for displaced, underemployed, and seasonal workers for a minimum period of 10 days to a maximum of 30 days, depending on the nature of work to be performed
Source: Philippines News Agency
