1 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representative 
EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The year 2020 rolled out with disruptive events unfolding in succession, 
beginning with the Alert Level 4 in Iraq announced by the Department of Foreign Affairs 
(DFA) on January 8, 2020 due to heightening of tension between the United States 
and Iran in the Middle East. A few days after, on January 12, 2020, Taal Volcano had 
a phreatic eruption affecting thousands of families and causing millions-worth of 
damages. Before the month ended, on January 30, 2020, the first case of novel 
coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was confirmed in the country, resulting in the 
imposition of travel bans to and from China, Hong Kong, and Macau, Taiwan, and to 
some areas in South Korea. 
In all these events, what stands out is the fact that these events have widely 
affected the livelihood of Filipino workers and their families. More so the vulnerable 
workers, such as the minimum wage earners, the working poor and the marginalized 
workers. As noted by the Asian Development Bank, the pandemic alone affected 1.7 
million jobs up to January 2021, and employment in the informal sector rose by about 
435,000 in the country during this period.1 With respect to the situation in the Middle 
East, some of our OFWs opted to take their chances in Iraq, rather than be repatriated 
because “they and their families will starve to death herein the country.” On the other 
hand, the Taal volcano phreatic eruption resulted in the stoppage of operations of 
factories in the area, and the evacuation of hundreds of affected workers in evacuation 
centers. The dismal situation of these affected workers was even exacerbated by the 
COVID-19 pandemic, which caused local manufacturing operations to slow down and 
the consequent adoption of temporary layoffs, job rotations and forced leaves in 
various companies, who are mostly dependent on Chinese factories for electronics, 
wearables and automotive OEMs and other raw materials. Meanwhile, overseas 
Filipino workers in various parts of the globe were also not spared, with thousands of 
workers repatriated at the height of the pandemic, and thousands more would-be 
overseas workers stranded in the country due to border closures.
1 Asian Development Bank, Philippines’ COVID-19 Employment Challenge: Labor Market Programs to the Rescue, available at 
https://blogs.adb.org/blog/philippines-covid-19-employment-challenge-labor-market-programs-to-rescue (last accessed June 
24, 2022
August 28, 2025
1:47 pm
4155


2 
All these emphasized the need for a permanent and institutionalized social 
safety net for displaced, marginalized, and vulnerable workers and their families. 
Disasters, war, armed conflict, crises, epidemics/outbreaks, pandemic, public health 
emergencies, and economic shocks are triggers of hardship and displacement, not to 
mention income loss brought about by ill-health, disability, work-related accidents or 
injuries, unemployment, work displacements due to business closure, retrenchment, 
rightsizing, redundancy, technological advances, policy-related disruptions and other 
analogous causes. Assistance to get them back on their feet with dignity, other than 
relief goods and food at the evacuation centers, or bringing them home for free from 
overseas without addressing income insecurity, must be strengthened and enhanced. 
It is in this light that this bill seeks to institutionalize the Department of Labor 
and Employment’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced 
Workers (TUPAD) or the emergency employment program as a social safety net 
program for the workers. The bill contains the following provisions: 
1)
Authorizes the DOLE to motu proprio implement employment projects in
cases of massive displacements;
2)
Clarifies the covered worker-beneficiaries, which includes both formal and
informal workers affected by the triggers mentioned above;
3)
Ensures the payment of 100% of the prevailing minimum wage rate for non-
agricultural workers in the area of project implementation; and
4)
Providing penalty for acts, such as getting commissions, job sharing, listing
ghost beneficiaries, padding, among others.
Thus, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 


3 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. __________ 
Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representative 
EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
1 
2 
3 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR A WAGE EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR 
DISPLACED, 
MARGINALIZED, 
AND/OR 
VULNERABLE 
WORKERS, 
INSTITUTIONALIZING 
FOR 
THIS 
PURPOSE 
THE 
TULONG 
PANGHANAPBUHAY SA 
ATING 
DISADVANTAGED/DISPLACED 
WORKERS 
(TUPAD) PROGRAM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:  
Article I 
General Provisions 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “TUPAD Act.” 
4 
5 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policies. – The State shall promote a just and dynamic 
6 
social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free 
7 
the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, 
8 
promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life for 
9 
all. 
10 
11 
The State shall improve the quality of life of all Filipino workers through active 
12 
labor market policies, promotion of employment opportunities and employment 
13 
facilitation, human resource development, and the provision to displaced, 
14 
marginalized, and/or vulnerable workers a transitional or temporary social safety net 
15 
from economic shocks brought about by disasters, public health emergencies, war, 
16 
armed conflict, economic crises, and other related contingencies, and/or experiencing 
17 
loss of livelihood or income due to disability, work-related accidents or injuries, 
18 
unemployment, or work displacements. 
19 
20 
SEC. 3. Coverage. – This Act shall cover all displaced, marginalized, and/or 
21 
vulnerable workers affected by disasters, public health emergencies, war, armed 
22 
conflict, economic crises, and other related contingencies, and/or experiencing loss of 
23 
4155


 
4 
livelihood, or income loss due to ill-health, disability, work-related accidents or injuries, 
1 
unemployment, or work displacements because of authorized causes of termination 
2 
of employment, technological advances, policy-related disruptions, and other 
3 
analogous causes. 
4 
 
5 
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act: 
6 
 
7 
a) Accredited Co-Partner or ACP refers to the program partner that has 
8 
been accredited by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to 
9 
implement TUPAD projects using government or public funds. The ACP 
10 
may be a peoples’ or workers’ organization, legitimate labor organization, 
11 
cooperative, business association, church-based organization, educational 
12 
institution, including Technical Education and Skills Development Authority 
13 
(TESDA)-accredited technical-vocational training institutions and State 
14 
Universities and Colleges (SUCs), non-government organization, private 
15 
foundation, or a government agency or instrumentality, including National 
16 
Government Agencies (NGAs), Local Government Units (LGUs) and 
17 
Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs); 
18 
 
19 
b) Beneficiary refers to individuals or group of individuals who are qualified 
20 
recipients of assistance under the TUPAD Program; 
21 
 
22 
c) 
Department or DOLE refers to the Department of Labor and Employment; 
23 
 
24 
d) Displaced workers refer to persons involuntarily terminated due to 
25 
authorized causes of termination as provided under the Labor Code of the 
26 
Philippines, technological advances, policy-related disruptions, and other 
27 
analogous causes. It also refers to Overseas Filipino Workers who have 
28 
been involuntarily separated from their jobs overseas. 
29 
 
30 
e) Marginalized workers refer to workers deprived of education, health, 
31 
employment, and other opportunities by reasons of poverty, geographical 
32 
inaccessibility, culture, and gender, among others, and to workers who are 
33 
less likely to have formal work arrangements, and are more likely to lack 
34 
decent working conditions, adequate social security, and whose 
35 
employment is characterized by inadequate earnings, low productivity, and 
36 
difficult conditions of work that undermine their fundamental rights; 
37 
 
38 
f) 
Self-employed refers to persons who operate their own businesses or 
39 
trades and do not employ paid workers in the conduct of their economic 
40 
activities, including workers who work purely on commission basis and who 
41 
may not have regular working hours; 
42 
 
43 
g) Sub-professionals as used in this Act refer to individuals in the private 
44 
sector involved in structured work in support of office operations or those 
45 
engaged in arts, crafts, and manual or clerical work; 
46 
 
47 
h) TESDA refers to the Technical Education and Skills Development 
48 
Authority; 
49 


 
5 
 
1 
i) 
TUPAD Program is a temporary wage employment assistance program 
2 
for displaced, marginalized, and/or vulnerable workers, also known as the 
3 
Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers 
4 
Program, and herein interchangeably referred to as TUPAD or Program; 
5 
 
6 
j) 
Underemployed workers refer to employed persons who express the 
7 
desire to have additional hours of work in their present job, or an additional 
8 
job, or to have a new job with longer working hours; 
9 
 
10 
k) 
Vulnerable workers refer to workers, local and overseas, including 
11 
minimum wage earners, working poor, and marginalized workers, who are 
12 
confronted by ex-ante risk that if currently non-poor will fall below the 
13 
poverty line, or if currently poor, will remain mired in poverty, or exposed to 
14 
adverse shocks; and 
15 
 
16 
l) 
Workers as used in this Act refer to workers in the formal and informal 
17 
economy or self-employed, whether overseas or local. 
18 
 
19 
 
20 
Article II 
21 
Wage Employment Assistance Program for Displaced, 
22 
Marginalized, and/or Vulnerable Workers or TUPAD Program 
23 
 
24 
SEC. 5. Lead Agency and Convergence with Related Government 
25 
Assistance Program. – The DOLE shall be the lead agency in the implementation of 
26 
the TUPAD Program and shall be responsible in the administration, sourcing, 
27 
assessment, and approval of all project proposals for funding from the appropriated 
28 
funds for the implementation of the TUPAD Program. 
29 
 
30 
The Department shall integrate and collaborate with other government 
31 
agencies, LGUs, business and labor groups, and civil society groups in implementing 
32 
similar or related programs and services for an efficient and effective whole-of-nation 
33 
approach in the delivery of social safety nets. 
34 
 
35 
SEC. 6. Eligible Projects for TUPAD; Counterpart Funding Requirement. – 
36 
Eligible employment projects that may be included under the Program shall include, 
37 
but not be limited to, social community projects, economic projects, field works such 
38 
as conduct of survey and profiling in partnership with government offices, agro-forestry 
39 
community projects that promote green jobs, and provision of assistance to LGUs in 
40 
the delivery of essential services. The Department, in coordination with relevant 
41 
government agencies, LGUs, ACPs, and other relevant stakeholders, shall formulate 
42 
and implement projects under the TUPAD Program that complements or utilizes the 
43 
skill set of all categories of workers 
classified under the Philippines Standard 
44 
Occupational Classification. 
45 
 
46 
The Department shall also set the duration of work for each project under the 
47 
Program, with due regard to the nature of the work to be performed; Provided, That 
48 
except as authorized by the Secretary of Labor and Employment in exceptional 
49 
circumstances, the duration of each project under the TUPAD Program shall not be 
50 


 
6 
less than ten (10) days, nor exceed ninety (90) days. 
1 
 
2 
Consistent with applicable government auditing rules and regulations, ACPs 
3 
and LGUs shall provide a counterpart funding of 20% of the total cost of the project. 
4 
The funding may be in the form of labor, land for the project site, facilities, and 
5 
equipment, among others, to be used in the project. The LGUs and ACPs may also 
6 
provide technical assistance, which could be in the form of identification of projects, 
7 
profiling of beneficiaries, procurement, monitoring, and facilitating access of services 
8 
from other agencies. 
9 
 
10 
SEC. 7. Qualified Beneficiaries. – All displaced workers, marginalized, and/or 
11 
vulnerable workers shall be qualified as beneficiaries under this Act; Provided, That 
12 
the Secretary of Labor and Employment may, under appropriate circumstances, 
13 
approve TUPAD projects that will include the underemployed and/or sub-professionals 
14 
as beneficiaries under this Act. 
15 
 
16 
The Secretary of DOLE shall set standards on the TUPAD beneficiaries, 
17 
including the allowable number of beneficiaries per household, the number of projects 
18 
under the Program a qualified beneficiary may participate in, and such other relevant 
19 
matters for the effective implementation of this Act, with a view to helping the most 
20 
number of beneficiaries. 
21 
 
22 
SEC. 8. Modes of Implementation of the TUPAD Program. – The TUPAD 
23 
Program shall be implemented by DOLE Regional Offices through any of the following 
24 
modes: 
25 
 
26 
a) With an Accredited Co-Partner (ACP). Under this mode, the ACP shall be 
27 
the Department’s partner or conduit in the implementation of the program, 
28 
provided they are registered with any registering body of the government 
29 
and accredited by DOLE as an ACP; Provided, That Government agencies,
30 
 
LGUs, TESDA, and SUCs, shall automatically be TUPAD program 
31 
partners, without need of accreditation; or 
32 
 
33 
b) DOLE Direct Administration. Under this mode, the administration and 
34 
implementation of the TUPAD Program shall be undertaken directly by the 
35 
Department’s regional, provincial and/or field offices. In the event of 
36 
massive displacement of workers resulting in serious disruption of means 
37 
of livelihood, direct administration of wage employment projects shall be 
38 
undertaken proactively by DOLE motu proprio, in collaboration with 
39 
relevant government agencies and/or LGUs. 
40 
 
41 
SEC. 9. Wages and Compensation of Beneficiaries. – The wages and 
42 
compensation of the beneficiaries shall not be less than 100% of the highest prevailing 
43 
minimum wage rate set by the Regional Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in 
44 
the region where the project will be implemented. The beneficiaries shall be enrolled 
45 
in a group micro- insurance and shall be provided with the appropriate training, safety 
46 
tools and proper equipment. 
47 
 
48 
The Department shall use automated banking facilities, money remittance 
49 
providers, and electronic/digital wallets as primary mode of wage disbursement for the 
50 


 
7 
beneficiaries of this Act. Under exceptional circumstances, such as TUPAD projects 
1 
in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, or non-operation of wage 
2 
disbursement mechanisms due to public emergencies, including war, armed conflict, 
3 
epidemics/outbreaks or public health emergencies, the Secretary of Labor and 
4 
Employment may authorize direct cash pay-out to TUPAD beneficiaries. 
5 
 
 
6 
SEC. 10. Prohibited Practices. – The Department shall establish mechanisms 
7 
to ensure compliance with the provisions of this Act. It shall provide a list of prohibited 
8 
activities, such as, but not limited to, cuts for commission, job sharing, ghost 
9 
beneficiaries, duplicate beneficiaries, and padding of beneficiaries. 
10 
 
11 
Any violation of this provision shall result in the blacklisting of the ACP, including 
12 
the reimbursement of the amount involved, with legal interest, without prejudice to the 
13 
filing of criminal and other related cases. If the ACP is an LGU or SUC, the LGU or 
14 
SUC shall immediately address such deficiency and/or error, without prejudice to 
15 
applicable rules and regulations of the Commission on Audit (COA), and the filing of 
16 
civil, criminal or administrative actions against erring officials and government 
17 
employees. In case of direct administration, the responsible DOLE personnel shall be 
18 
subjected to administrative investigation, without prejudice to the filing of appropriate 
19 
civil, criminal or administrative case. 
20 
 
21 
SEC. 11. Authority to Receive and Administer Donations for TUPAD 
22 
Program. – The Department is hereby authorized under this Act to receive donations 
23 
from government and non-government organizations and to administer the same 
24 
strictly and exclusively for the beneficiaries of the TUPAD Program, subject to relevant 
25 
accounting and auditing rules and regulations. 
26 
 
27 
SECTION 12. Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation of the TUPAD 
28 
Program. – The Department shall establish a standardized monitoring, evaluation and 
29 
reporting system to properly document every approved project under the Program. 
30 
 
31 
It shall also submit to Congress, and make available to the public, an annual 
32 
accomplishment report and utilization of the funds earmarked for the implementation 
33 
of the Program. The annual report shall include the pertinent details of every project 
34 
under the Program, the mode of implementation, number of beneficiaries, donations 
35 
from private and other organizations, expenditures, number of beneficiaries who 
36 
acquired employment after their participation in the Program, and other pertinent 
37 
information as may be necessary. An impact evaluation shall be conducted from time 
38 
to time, but not later than every three years. 
39 
 
40 
SEC. 13. Grievance Mechanisms. – The Department shall establish grievance 
41 
mechanisms for the filing or reporting of complaints, grievances, or violations provided 
42 
in this Act and other related laws arising from the implementation of the TUPAD 
43 
Program. For this purpose, the Department shall ensure that all beneficiaries and 
44 
stakeholders of the Program have access to these grievance mechanisms. 
45 
 
46 
 
47 
Article III 
48 
Miscellaneous Provisions 
49 
 
50 


 
8 
SEC. 14. Appropriations. – The funds for the initial implementation of this Act 
1 
shall be sourced from the current budget of the Department for the implementation of 
2 
the TUPAD Program. Thereafter, the amount necessary for its continued 
3 
implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act; Provided, 
4 
That such appropriation shall take into consideration an administration cost of not 
5 
more than 5%, subject to periodic review and appropriate recommendation for 
6 
increase, whenever necessary. For this purpose, the Department shall issue the 
7 
appropriate guidelines on the utilization and management of the administration cost. 
8 
 
9 
SEC. 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days 
10 
from the effectivity of this Act, the DOLE shall, in consultation with TESDA, DPWH, 
11 
DENR, DILG, Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, National Anti-Poverty 
12 
Commission (NAPC), and other relevant government  agencies 
and 
other 
13 
stakeholders, issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective 
14 
implementation of this Act. 
15 
 
16 
SEC. 16. Separability Clause. – Any portion or provision of this Act that is 
17 
declared unconstitutional or invalid shall not have the effect of nullifying other portions 
18 
or provisions hereof as long as such remaining portions can still subsist and be given 
19 
effect in their entirety. 
20 
 
21 
SEC. 17. Repealing Clause. – All laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, other 
22 
issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed 
23 
or modified accordingly. Nothing in this Act shall result in the diminution of the benefits 
24 
and/or assistance given to overseas Filipinos and migrant workers as provided in other 
25 
laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, and issuances. 
26 
 
27 
SEC. 18. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
28 
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
29 
 
30 
Approved, 
31