DOLE reviewing ‘deficiencies’ in TUPAD program

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is reviewing alleged anomalies surrounding the agency’s emergency employment program amid the COVID-19 crisis.

In the latest episode of The Mangahas Interviews, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said his office received some findings of the Commission on Audit (COA) on its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program.

“Ang sinabi ng COA finding na binasa ko, ‘commendable ang high utilization rate’. However, ito yung medyo mabigat na tinitignan namin ngayon, yung ‘we noted significant deficiencies,’” Laguesma said.

(The COA finding, which I read said that ‘the high utilization rate was commendable’. However, the one that we are looking into was, ‘we noted significant deficiencies.’)

“Dapat sigurong ipatupad ayon sa guidelines. So yung nakitang deficiencies ng COA ay dahil hindi sa pagsunod strictly doon sa mga guidelines ng TUPAD,” he added.

(We should implement the program based on guidelines. So, the deficiencies cited by COA were due to not strictly following the guidelines of TUPAD.)

In its 2021 annual audit report on DOLE, the COA said that some financial assistance released in different regions cannot be determined due to issues including “unliquidated fund transfers.”

“The propriety and/or validity of the financial assistance granted to the various beneficiaries for TUPAD could not be ascertained in the Central Office, National Capital Region, Regional Offices I, III, V, IX, XII and XIII due to unliquidated fund transfers, unavailable/invalid/incorrect numbers, and no contact details of the beneficiaries,” the report said.

The COA also cited “unsubstantiated claims and lack of documentary requirements,” as well as “insufficient monitoring and validation of the beneficiaries, money remittance centers, and project proponents” as among the deficiencies.

COA then advised DOLE to address concerns on unutilized balances in different regions and on TUPAD implementation involving local government units to avoid issues.

To address the issue, Laguesma said that they would implement different strategies to distribute the cash assistance.

“Kaya mayroon na rin kami strategies na gagawin batay sa pinagkasunduan sa aming media performance assessment,” he said.

(We also have strategies we would do based on the agreement in our media performance assessment.)

“Sana maunawaaan din kami ng mga mambabatas dahil ang kanilang mga distrito ay mayroon pangangailangan sa tulong, sa ayuda, amin naman tatanawin yun at titignan nang sa ganon magkatulungan kami na yung kanilang mga nakitang dapat na ayuda at dapat na tulong ay mangyari,” he added.

(I hope the legislators would also understand us because their districts need help and cash assistance, we will look into it, they would see that the assistance would happen.)

The TUPAD program is a community-based package of assistance that provides emergency employment to displaced workers, unemployed and seasonal workers, for a minimum of 10 days but not to exceed a maximum of 30 days, depending on the nature of the work to be performed.

Meanwhile, the DOLE chief said he would check offices in many departments that overlap or duplicate their functions.

“Kasama ito sa dapat tingnan para sa ganoon ma-justify mo ang iyong proposal para sa budget sa susunod na taon, yun tamang size ng gobyerno ng iba’t ibang departamento,” Laguesma said.

(It is necessary to check to justify your proposal for the budget in the coming year, the right size in each government department.)

“In fact, nakita natin agad na President Marcos has led with example. Yung duplication ng mga opisina ng nasasaklawan ng Office of the President mayroon na agad siyang ginawang pagbuwag at paglilipat at pag-assume at pag-consolidate. So yun strong message yun sa mga departamento,” he continued.

(In fact, we immediately saw that President Marcos has led by example. The duplication of the offices covered by the Office of the President has been dismantled. He also did some transfer and consolidation. So that's a strong message to the departments.)

Laguesma further emphasized, “Hindi natin layunin na makadagdag sa joblessness, ang layunin natin ay mapabuti at madama ang tunay na serbisyo ng ating pamahalaan.”

(Our goal is not to add to joblessness, our goal is to improve and make the people feel the true service of our government.)

Last week, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) disclosed it was planning to ask Congress to give Marcos authority to “rightsize” or trim down the bureaucracy to save funds.

DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said they will be checking 187 agencies, departments, offices, and bureaus, including government-owned and controlled corporations —which employ an estimated two million personnel—for redundant or overlapping functions.

Those who will lose their jobs may apply again, Pangandaman added, as other government positions would likely open as part of the process.—Mel Matthew Doctor/LDF, GMA News