Win Gatchalian: 1M beneficiaries to be affected by lower TUPAD budget

A million beneficiaries of the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) are seen to be affected by the P6 billion reduction in the proposed allocation for the emergency employment program.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate committee on finance, revealed this during the deliberations on the proposed P44.38-billion budget of DOLE and its attached agencies for fiscal year 2026.

Under the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP), a total of P12.24 billion was appropriated for both the Government Internship Program (GIP) and the TUPAD program, of which P11 billion was set aside for the latter.

This amount was lower than the P18 billion budget of the two programs this year.

During the deliberations, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma confirmed that TUPAD beneficiaries will be affected by the 36% in budget cuts on the program.

According to DOLE Assistant Secretary Amuerfina Reyes, it will especially impact beneficiaries in times of calamities and emergencies.

“Kung mababawasan ‘yung suporta in terms of financial, definitely may domino effect po ‘yun, not only in terms of the number but in terms of the quality of intervention for our people who need us the most in times of emergencies and calamities. At ‘pag sila po ay nawalan ng trabaho, meron ho kaagad na sasalo sa kanila at isa ho do’n ‘yung TUPAD,” Reyes said.

(If the financial support is reduced, it will definitely have a domino effect, not only in terms of the number but in terms of the quality of intervention for our people who need us the most in times of emergencies and calamities. And when they lose their jobs, there will be something that will help them immediately and one of them is TUPAD.)

Laguesma said that 50% of the 4 million TUPAD beneficiaries were helped by the program following the series of weather systems that affected the country in 2024.

“Malaki rin ‘no 2 million plus rin ‘yun. So at least kahit nabawasan siya ng 36%, 1 million, may 3 million pa. At least ‘yung 2 million, safe tayo para do’n sa calamity-stricken areas on the average, assuming pare-pareho siya every year na 2 million,” Gatchalian said.

(It's also a big number, 2 million plus. So at least even if the budget is decreased by 36%, there are 3 million more. At least for the 2 million, that is safe for those in calamity-stricken areas on the average, assuming it is the same number every year.)

“[But] of course, mababawasan lang siya by almost a million grantees or beneficiaries,” he added.

(But of course, that will be reduced by almost a million grantees of beneficiaries.)

Last month, a subcommittee of the House Committee on Appropriations realigned P46 billion of the Department of Public Works and Highways' proposed budget of more than P250 billion for flood control projects in 2026 to two of the government's social amelioration programs.

The budget amendments review subcommittee approved the proposal by House Minority Leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan to move P32.6 billion to the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations, and P14.82 billion to TUPAD. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News