(DOLE-EASTERN VISAYAS)
TACLOBAN CITY – More than 1,400 transport workers across Eastern Visayas will receive temporary employment and wage assistance under the TUPAD Tuloy Pasada 2026 program launched by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices.
The initiative, formally launched by DOLE Regional Office 8 and LTFRB Regional Office 8, seeks to provide immediate financial relief to drivers, conductors, mechanics, and other transport workers whose incomes have been affected by increasing fuel costs amid continuing tensions in the Middle East.
A total of 1,474 beneficiaries from Leyte, Southern Leyte, Samar, and Eastern Samar have been identified to receive assistance under the program, with DOLE allocating more than P15 million for wages.
Speaking during the launching ceremony, DOLE Regional Director Dax Villaruel said the program demonstrates the government’s commitment to protecting workers during periods of economic uncertainty.
“This is a program that represents government commitment to ensure that every worker is taken care of, especially in this time of economic uncertainty,” Villaruel said.
He added that the initiative aligns with the administration’s goal of delivering responsive, inclusive, and people-centered programs that directly address the needs of workers.
TUPAD Tuloy Pasada forms part of the government’s Unified Package for Livelihood, Industry, Food, and Transport interventions designed to support sectors most vulnerable to fuel price increases while ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of public transportation services.
Under the program, each beneficiary will render six hours of work per day for 20 days and receive a daily wage of P470.
To distinguish participating vehicles, beneficiary-drivers will display tarpaulins bearing the “TUPAD Tuloy Pasada 2026” signage on the front of their units.
Officials said the program not only provides temporary income support but also helps sustain public transportation operations amid rising operating costs faced by transport workers.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
