Cainta, Rizal Mayor Keith Nieto has encouraged residents seeking temporary employment to apply for the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program, saying the opportunity is only for those who are genuinely willing to work.

On Tuesday, Aug. 25, Nieto said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) allocated funds for the program in Cainta, which will provide temporary employment to 80 residents.

He said those selected for the program will work for 31 days, mainly along major waterways in Cainta, where they will help desilt box culverts and concrete pipes and clean cistern tanks to help clear clogged drainage systems.

They will receive P600 per day, with Nieto reminding applicants, “Pero alam niyo naman, para ito sa mga gusto talaga ng trabaho, at may output ang programa natin (But as you know, this is for those who are genuinely willing to work, and our program has an expected output).”

“Sa mga interesado, apply kayo sa akin… ulitin ko lang, seryosong trabaho ito… bawal ang petiks (For those who are interested, apply. Again, this is serious work—no slacking off),” he said.

Nieto also thanked DOLE and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., assuring them that every peso allocated for the program would be used wisely to further improve the municipality.

The TUPAD program recently drew attention after Malacañang called out some beneficiaries for allegedly posing as waterway cleaners in photos and videos while failing to perform the work they were hired to do.

In a press briefing on Thursday, Aug. 13, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said the reported fake photos and videos of TUPAD beneficiaries were particularly disappointing because they are paid to perform actual community work, including debris clearing and the declogging of canals.

Castro said beneficiaries should fulfill their obligations instead of using government-funded work to produce what she described as fake videos, adding that the program was intended to provide temporary income while addressing community needs.

TUPAD is the DOLE emergency employment program that provides temporary work to disadvantaged or displaced workers, including those who are underemployed, displaced, or affected by seasonal employment and other circumstances that disrupt their livelihood.

It covers community-based work such as cleaning and maintaining public facilities, clearing debris, declogging canals, segregating waste, and clearing waterways, making it one of the government's mechanisms for providing short-term income while addressing local community needs.

TUPAD beneficiaries are paid based on the prevailing minimum wage in their locality for the duration of their approved work, subject to program requirements and validated attendance.