TUPAD workers to support Kadiwa expansion for P20 rice rollout in 2026, DOLE says
By Trixee Rosel
At A Glance
- TUPAD workers will be deployed to support Kadiwa operations by 2026.
- Beneficiaries will receive wages while assisting in the P20 rice distribution.
- Kadiwa outlets aim to boost food access and provide short-term jobs.
- Labor groups involved are being trained in basic enterprise management.
Thousands of beneficiaries under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program will be mobilized to support the expanded P20-per-kilo rice distribution through Kadiwa centers nationwide by 2026, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said on Monday, Jun. 16.
DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said the deployment of TUPAD workers to Kadiwa outlets, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and other agencies, will help improve food accessibility while providing short-term employment.
He added that the workers will assist with logistics, crowd control, and retail tasks—similar to their roles in relief operations led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and local government units—while earning wages under the TUPAD emergency employment program.
The initiative aims to strengthen the purchasing power of minimum wage earners and vulnerable groups by giving them access to affordable rice and allowing them to save more for other essential needs.
At present, seven labor organizations are operating Kadiwa outlets, with six more under evaluation.
DOLE said more groups have expressed interest as the program scales up.