THE Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) in Misamis Oriental has thrown its weight behind a massive clean-up campaign to combat rising dengue cases in the province.
Provincial Director Jose Errol Natividad announced during a recent press conference that Dole’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay para sa Disadvantaged Workers (Tupad) program beneficiaries will be mobilized to conduct clean-up activities in their respective communities.
Tupad provides temporary employment to disadvantaged workers, offering them a 10-day job at the minimum wage. In exchange, beneficiaries are expected to contribute to their communities, such as participating in clean-up drives.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Ted Yu welcomed Dole’s support, noting the urgent need for collective action to address the dengue crisis. As of September 2024, Misamis Oriental has recorded over 3,225 dengue cases, with Tagoloan town reporting the highest number of deaths.
Yu emphasized the importance of eliminating mosquito breeding grounds through community-wide clean-up efforts.
Natividad assured that Dole is committed to assisting the province in its fight against dengue. He revealed that Tupad beneficiaries are already actively involved in cleaning canals and de-clogging waterways.
In the long term, Dole plans to implement tree-planting initiatives, such as bamboo and coffee cultivation.
Natividad added that he has discussed the possibility of providing Tupad assistance to families affected by dengue. While beneficiaries can typically only avail of Tupad once, exceptions may be made in cases of emergency, such as dengue outbreaks.
Since 2022, Dole-10 has disbursed a total of P2,315,567,936 to 494,392 disadvantaged beneficiaries through the Tupad program.
