In a statement, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma announced that beneficiaries of its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (Tupad) program are set to be tapped as forest rangers.
“Tupad beneficiaries shall be mobilized in patrolling the forest, seedling production, establishing plantations, and assisting in forest protection activities,” said Laguesma.
He said the project is in support of the expanded national greening program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
“We want to help in the mitigation of the worst impacts of climate change in the country,” said Laguesma.
Under the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) recently signed between DOLE and DENR, the Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC) and DOLE regional/field offices will be hiring workers to be deployed in areas identified by the DENR’s Forest Management Bureau.
DOLE will also allocate funds to cover the prevailing daily minimum wage in the regions as well as the administrative cost for personal protective equipment and group personal accident insurance of workers who will be hired.
He said the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority or its accredited training institutions shall also conduct appropriate skills training for the worker-beneficiaries.
“Those who will be hired will augment the current number of forest rangers, who will conduct patrolling, seedling production, plantation establishment, and protection activities,” said Laguesma.
In 2021, DOLE tapped Tupad beneficiaries as additional contract tracers of local government units in a bid to help stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)