Probe sought over irregularities in DOLE’s TUPAD program

MANILA, Philippines — Residents of a barangay in Quezon City are calling for an investigation into alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)’s emergency employment program for displaced workers.

Listed beneficiaries of the DOLE’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program trooped to Barangay Holy Spirit yesterday to file a complaint and provide details of the alleged irregularities.

The beneficiaries said they only got P2,000 instead of P7,518 that they should have received from the government.

According to a coordinator of the program, she was instructed to accompany the beneficiaries to remittance centers and deduct P5,518 from their cash assistance.

The deduction, she said in an interview on dzRH, would supposedly go to individuals who rendered the actual service that the beneficiaries were being paid for.

She also showed a text message with instructions on what the listed beneficiaries should say in case they receive a call from DOLE representatives.

The specific program in Barangay Holy Spirit is supposedly being implemented in partnership with the office of Quezon City District 2 Rep. Precious Hipolito-Castelo.

Castelo did not respond when asked by The STAR for her reaction to the allegation.

But her lawyer, Joey Blando, said the congresswoman would not tolerate such corrupt practice, and vowed to look into the allegation of TUPAD beneficiaries.

Blando confirmed that Jackie Sales, who was named by the complainants as one of those who deducted the amount from their cash aid, is an employee of Castelo.

Sales will be dismissed and charged accordingly if the allegation is proven true, Blando said.

Castelo’s husband, Councilor Winston Castelo, promised to get to the bottom of the corruption allegation.

“Whenever we receive reports of irregularities and wrongdoing of our personnel, we always proceed to investigate and take the proper action after due process,” he said.

In a separate statement, the city government said it is not involved in the implementation of the specific TUPAD program.

Public Employment Service Office chief Rogelio Batoy Reyes said the only TUPAD program being implemented by the city hall is for the services of COVID-19 contact tracers.

The DOLE reserved comment on the allegation.

“We cannot make a comment yet. We still have to ascertain if it is really our TUPAD program,” DOLE spokesman Rolly Francia said. – Emmanuel Tupas, Edu Punay, Sheila Crisostomo