DOLE-Kalinga reports 800 residents are beneficiaries of LAWA at BINHI program

Tabuk City, Kalinga - A total of 800 residents in Kalinga have benefited from the TUPAD Lawa at Binhi Program, which provides emergency employment and livelihood support in a bid to empower local communities in the province.

The TUPAD LAWA at BINHI project is a program of the DSWD— LAWA (Local Adaptation to Water Access) and Project BINHI (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished), with the DOLE as the labor component.

In an interview with GURU Press Cordillera, DOLE Senior Labor and Employment Officer (SLEO) Emmanuel Barcellano explained that “Lawa at Binhi is a program of the DSWD, sila ang main proponent. Ang amin lang jan is yung labor component, pinapadaan namin sa TUPAD. So yung mga workers para sa LAWA at BINHI program are TUPAD beneficiaries. Yun yung partnership namin with DSWD.”

Barcellano said beneficiaries of the program in Kalinga came from all municipalities with Tabuk and Rizal topping the list with 200 beneficiaries each. On the other hand, Pasil, Pinukpuk, Lubuagan, and Tanudan have 100 beneficiaries each.

Initially launched last year, the program has since expanded to cover all municipalities. While all municipalities have beneficiaries to date, Barcellano added that Balbalan and Tinglayan are yet to proceed with pending Notices to Proceed due to incomplete requirements.

Hence, the five remaining municipalities commenced activities following notices issued in late August. Unlike the standard 10-day duration of TUPAD programs, the LAWA at BINHI project spans 20 days.

“Lahat ng municipalities may benificiaries pero ang na-implement palang is the six municipalities. Lahat sila nabigyan pero ang Balbalan and Tinglayan, hindi pa sila nabiguyan ng Notice to Proceed kasi they have yet to submit requirements for para doon. The TUPAD LAWA at BINHI actually, we just started it last year pero hindi rin masyadong nagfull-blast unlike this year kasi included na lahat ng municipalities,” Barcellano added.

The senior officer further said that work can be delayed by weather, so the 20 days need not be consecutive saying, “May mga instances kasi na hindi nila magawa, lalo na because of the weather, so yung 20 days hindi na dere-derechu yon. Okay lang mag-skip basta they have to complete and finish the 20 days—it does not necessarily mean na dere-derechuhin nila yun. May mga factors naman kasi like the weather, so may mga iba na tinatapos palang talaga. Maganda naman yung mga na-monitor naming na ginawa ng mga workers natin. Kasi atleast dito sa Kalinga, ag-work da met talaga piman dagitoy workers tayo.”