Sec. Enrile Expands CEZA-DOLE Partnership for Employment Assistance

The TUPAD Program launched on July 15, 2024 with 200 participant-beneficiaries and a 10-day timeframe to accomplish assigned tasks. They initially received personal protective equipment (PPE) in the form of long-sleeved shirts and caps, and personal accident insurance.

The participant-beneficiaries received their payout on August 15, 2024.

Sec. Katrina Ponce Enrile, Administrator and Chief Executive Officer of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA), has extended its partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to assist disadvantaged and displaced workers in Sta. Ana, Cagayan. This collaboration was made possible through a request by Sec. Enrile, leading to the registration of 200 residents as beneficiaries of DOLE’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Program.

The TUPAD Program, a government initiative by DOLE, provides a safety net for workers in the informal sector through temporary employment. It aims to help underemployed workers, self-employed individuals with insufficient income, and those displaced or affected by disasters.

Ms. Laura Diciano, Chief of DOLE Cagayan Field Office (CFO), attended the culmination program of the first TUPAD activity in the CSEZFP.

The participant-beneficiaries were chosen among members of the CEZA-assisted community organizations. The selection and validation process involved identification and profiling following qualification standards, submission of documentary requirements and orientation.

Seeing the potential benefits, Sec. Enrile requested an extension of the partnership with DOLE to include the TUPAD Program. CEZA has long been working alongside DOLE to implement programs that generate employment and support the residents of the Cagayan Freeport and its neighboring areas

The tasks involved clean up, clearing, waste management and beautification activities within Sta. Ana, Cagayan and its surrounding waters.

In an interview, Sec. Enrile expressed her gratitude to DOLE, highlighting their long-standing relationship: “The fulfillment of our mandate has been made easier through our collaborative efforts with the private and public sectors like DOLE. We also want to give acknowledgement to its Cagayan Valley Regional Office, led by Dir. Jesus Elpido Atal, Jr., for its continued alliance with CEZA,” she conveyed.

The program concluded with a payout on August 15, 2024, at the Sta. Ana Municipal Gymnasium. Ms. Laura Diciano, Chief of DOLE’s Cagayan Field Office, acknowledged Sec. Enrile’s initiative to ensure Sta. Ana residents benefit from programs like TUPAD, emphasizing its role in creating job opportunities for the underemployed. Beneficiaries shared how the payout would help support their families—some to cover school expenses, others to provide for basic needs or improve their livelihoods.Encouraged by the positive outcome, Sec. Enrile directed her team to continue exploring other community-support initiatives. “It is the goal of CEZA to be the catalyst of economic development in the CSEZFP. We want to make sure that we provide continuing support to help uplift the lives of people in the Cagayan Freeport and its neighboring towns. This is why we are here. We will find ways to support them,” she shared.

Want to support CEZA’s community efforts? Contact us at [email protected].

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