CEBU CITY -- The Department of Labor and Employment-Central Visayas (DOLE-7) is looking into a complaint against a public official who allegedly committed irregularities in the implementation of the agency’s emergency cash-for-work program.
Undersecretary and DOLE 7 concurrent head Victor del Rosario said the department is validating a report that Cebu City South District Rep. Congressman Rodrigo “Bebot” Abellanosa is allegedly using the Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program for political gains.
Abellanosa is in his last term. His son BG is one of the candidates for congressman in Cebu City South District.
It was lawyer Ernesto Rama who wrote the DOLE-7 alleging the elder Abellanosa of TUPAD program for political gains.
TUPAD is a community-based work assistance offered by DOLE which provides emergency employment for displaced workers, underemployed and seasonal workers, for a minimum period of 10 days to 30 days. It is especially rolled out to cushion the impact of Covid-19 to the economy.
In his letter, Rama alleged that the office of the congressman profiled beneficiaries, asked them to fill forms, then told them to come back to a specific time and place for a P500 cash out purportedly as down payment.
“We hereby bring to your attention the activities at Mambaling, ACT (Asian College of Technology) and Guadalupe where individuals were made to fill up Beneficiary Profile forms under the guise that it is TUPAD project. But then, the individuals are told to return on a specific date, like May 3, 2022, to receive money purportedly as down payment of their TUPAD salary,” said Rama in his letter.
The lawyer averred the giving of cash as down payment “is an act of vote-buying.”
In his reply to the lawyer’s letter, Del Rosario explained how the program is being implemented.
“Please be informed that the TUPAD program is done through direct administration of this Office. Under this mode, the implementation of said program is done directly by our Tri-City Field Office. It is our money remittance partners who will send a message to the beneficiaries that they can already claim their wages,” Del Rosario said.
Del Rosario assured that the agency will look into the matter.
“We will also make the necessary validation of this report based on DOLE Administrative Order No. 118. series of 2021 or the Guidelines on the Disposition of Complaints Relative to the Implementation of the Department of Labor and Employment Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP),” said Del Rosario.
Abellanosa has yet to comment on the issue.