TACLOBAN CITY — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has broadened its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) program in Naval, Biliran transforming emergency employment into community-driven development efforts that support eco-tourism, environmental rehabilitation, and local food production.
From March 24 to April 20, 2026, the DOLE-Biliran Field Office (BFO) mobilized hundreds of displaced and disadvantaged workers across several barangays in Naval, assigning them to projects that combined temporary income opportunities with long-term community benefits.
In Barangay San Pablo, 100 beneficiaries were deployed to improve and maintain the Green Lagoon, undertaking works such as pond gate construction, dike heightening for flood protection, and net installation to help safeguard fish stocks and enhance water management.
Another 100 beneficiaries from the villages of Lico, Lucsoon, Calumpang, and Larrazabal worked at Sitio Puro Kube under the supervision of the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) and the Municipal Agricultural Office (MAO). Their tasks included rehabilitating bamboo areas to support eco-tourism development and establishing community vegetable gardens to strengthen local food security.
Each beneficiary received P9,040 in wages during a payout ceremony organized by the DOLE-Biliran Field Office. The agency said the initiative reflects how TUPAD is evolving beyond short-term employment to support sustainable local development and livelihood opportunities.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
