“It’s a big no-no!” the regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) was said to have reacted when informed that an orientation for the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) Program had been held at the residence of a private person.
To elaborate, the TUPAD Program is one of the two components of the Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP) through which the department hopes to contribute to inclusibe growth through job creation and poverty reduction.
The program is being implemented either by direct administration of the DOLE regional, provincial or field office, the local government units and other government institutions as Co-partner, and Non-Government Organizations or People’s Organizations as Accredited Co-partner.
Pursuant to DOLE Department Order No. 239, Series of 2023, providing guidelines for the implementation of the DILEEP, the Co-partner (either the LGU, government agency or NGO/PO) is supposed to submit a Project Proposal with Work Program, indicating at least 20% equity of the total project cost.
The Co-partner is likewise required to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with DOLE to avail of the twin programs, with the complete documentary requirements submitted to the nearest DOLE regional, provincial or field office.
If found complete and compliant with the guidelines, the said DOLE office shall endorse the results of the initial evaluation to the Regional Office – Technical Support and Services Division.
The Regional Project Management Team then validates the results of the evaluation and recommend for its approval, disapproval or revision.
It is the responsibility of the Co-partner to notify the beneficiaries of the schedule of orientation, deployment for work, schedule of pay-out, and liquidation of fund releases, as the DOLE regional office is supposed to release the check and give the go-signal to the Co-partner for the release of the assistance.
According to informed sources, no one at the DOLE Catanduanes provincial office was aware of the TUPAD project awarded or coursed through the former president of the Catanduanes State University.
They were surprised to learn that the fund allocation purportedly from the Office of Vice President Sara Duterte was suddenly downloaded to the regional office.
The same sources claim that the beneficiaries of the project are residents of the two Palnab barangays, about three kilometers away from the private residence where the orientation was held.
If the report is correct that the travel orders of DOLE personnel and trip tickets of vehicles on said date indicated the “DOLE-VIRAC ABC HALL-CATSU” route, then it would seem that it is CatSU which is the Co-partner in the TUPAD project and provided the 20% equity or share in the project.
Holding the orientation in the former president’s mansion (and forcing beneficiaries to leave their village and travel three kilometers) would be in violation of DOLE guidelines, as it should have been done within the university premises.
But if it is the Office of the Vice President which is the Co-partner in said TUPAD project and it only designated Mr. Patrick Alain T. Azanza as its local coordinator, why was the DOLE provincial office unaware of the project since it was supposed to have received a project proposal first from the OVP prior to evaluation, approval and release of funds?
It seems that, like the brouhaha that attended the recent Committee on Appropriations hearing on the proposed 2025 budget of VP Duterte, this particular TUPAD project is riddled with unanswered questions.
DOLE Regional Director Norman Laurio, it is hoped, would shed light on how the project came about and thus provide a reasonably believable account of a shenanigan only a certain CatSU troll could imagine.