1 
Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
Introduced by Representatives Yedda Marie K. Romualdez, Andrew Julian 
K. Romualdez and Jude A. Acidre
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR A WAGE EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 
FOR 
DISPLACED 
AND/OR 
VULNERABLE 
WORKERS 
INSTITUTIONALIZING 
FOR 
THE 
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 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In a calendar year, the Philippines encounters numerous types of natural 
disasters caused by various elements. In recent years, infectious diseases and climate 
change have also been added to the list of challenges that Filipinos must hurdle in 
their day-to-day lives. These incidents not only wreak havoc on our immediate 
environment causing floods, fires, or earthquakes but also greatly affect our way of 
life. It creates additional pressure on the living conditions of the ordinary Filipino 
who do not always have the capacity to absorb the economic shocks caused by these 
incidents.  
This bill seeks to institutionalize the current Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa 
Ating Disadvantaged / Displaced Workers Program (TUPAD) to provide support 
August 4, 2025
5:00 pm
2985


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for Filipinos who are still transitioning from economic shocks caused by disasters or 
economic crises by providing them wage employment. This shall cover all displaced 
and/or vulnerable workers affected by disasters, epidemics/outbreaks, pandemics, 
public health emergencies, war, armed conflict, crises, economic shocks, or income 
loss brought about by ill-health, disability, and other analogous causes 
Through this bill, it is hoped that the State will be able to fulfill its 
constitutional mandate to promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure 
the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people from poverty 
through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a 
rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all.  
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
YEDDA MARIE K. ROMUALDEZ 
ANDREW JULIAN K.  ROMUALDEZ 
JUDE A. ACIDRE 


1 
Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
Introduced by Representatives Yedda Marie K. Romualdez, Andrew Julian 
K. Romualdez and Jude A. Acidre
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR A WAGE EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 
FOR 
DISPLACED 
AND/OR 
VULNERABLE 
WORKERS 
INSTITUTIONALIZING 
FOR 
THE 
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 the House of the Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
Section 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “TUPAD Act”. 
Section 2. Declaration of Policies. – The State shall promote a just and 
dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation 
2985


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and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social 
services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved 
quality of life for all.  
 
It shall improve the quality of life of all Filipino workers through active labor 
market policies, promoting and facilitating employment generation, human resource 
development, and by providing displaced and/or disadvantaged workers a social 
safety net from the effects of disasters, epidemics/outbreaks, pandemics, public 
health emergencies, war, armed conflict, crises, economic shocks or income loss 
brought about by ill-health, disability, work-related injury, unemployment, work 
displacements, and other related contingencies.  
 
Section 3. Coverage. - This Act shall cover all displaced and/or vulnerable 
workers affected by disasters, epidemics/outbreaks, pandemics, public health 
emergencies, war, armed conflict, crises, economic shocks, or 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, and other analogous causes. 
 
 
Section 4. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act: 
 
(a) “Accredited Co-Partner” refers to the program partner, which may be a 
peoples’ or workers organization, union, association, federation, 
cooperative, business association, church-based organization, educational 
institution, or private foundation, that has been accredited by the 


3 
 
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to implement TUPAD 
programs and projects using government or public funds; 
 
(b) “Beneficiary” refers to individuals or group of individuals who are 
qualified recipients of assistance under TUPAD; 
 
(c) “Disaster” refers to a serious disruption of the functioning of a community 
or a society involving widespread human, material, economic or 
environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected 
community or society to cope using its own resources, as defined in 
Republic Act No. 10121 otherwise known as the Philippine Disaster Risk 
Reduction and Management Act of 2010; 
 
(d) “DOLE or Department” refers to the Department of Labor and 
Employment;  
 
(e) “Displaced workers” refer to workers in the formal and informal economy 
or self-employed, whether overseas or local, who became unemployed, 
underemployed, or have lost their livelihood due to disasters, 
epidemics/outbreaks, pandemics, public health emergencies, war, armed 
conflict, crises, economic shocks, or income loss brought about by ill-
health, disability, work-related accidents or injuries, business closure, 
retrenchment, rightsizing, redundancy, technological advances, and other 
analogous adverse events as may be determined by the DOLE; 
 


4 
 
(f) “Massive displacement” refers to large-scale displacement of workers in 
the formal and informal sectors brought about by disasters, 
epidemics/outbreaks, pandemics, public health emergencies, war, armed 
conflict crises, or economic shocks, among others, resulting in serious 
disruption of means of livelihood; 
 
(g) “Micro-insurance” refers to a scheme that provides specific insurance and 
similar products and services that meet the needs of the low-income sector 
for risk protection and relief against distress, misfortune, and other 
contingent events; 
 
(h) “Self-employed” refers to individuals who create their own earnings and 
opportunities in the form of business, contract work, whether overseas or 
local, or freelance activities; 
 
(i) “Sub-professionals” refer to individuals who hold first level positions 
under the Revised Administrative Code of 1987, which includes the 
clerical, trades, crafts, and custodial service positions requiring less than 
four (4) years of collegiate studies; 
 
(j) “TESDA” refers to the Technical Education and Skills Development 
Authority; 
 
(k) “TUPAD Program” is a safety net wage employment assistance program 
for displaced and/or vulnerable workers also known as the Tulong 


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Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged / Displaced Workers Program, 
and herein interchangeably referred to as TUPAD or Program; 
 
(l) “Underemployed workers” refer to employed persons who express the 
desire to have additional hours of work in their present job or an additional 
job, or have a new job with longer working hours; 
 
(m) 
“Vulnerable workers” refer to minimum wage earners, working poor, 
or marginalized workers, as defined below, whether in an employer-
employee relationship in the public or private sector, or self-employed 
including the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), and whose families 
depend solely on their wages or compensation income for their minimum 
basic needs, such as food, health, education, housing, and other essential 
amenities of life; 
 
(i) 
Minimum wage earners refer to workers in the private sector who 
are paid the statutory minimum wage, or to employees in the public 
sector with compensation income of not more than the statutory 
minimum wage in the non-agricultural sector where he/she is 
assigned as defined under Republic Act No. 10963 otherwise known 
as the TRAIN law; 
 
(ii) 
Working poor refers to individuals and/or groups whose income 
fall below the poverty threshold as defined by the National 
Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and/or cannot 
afford in a sustained manner to provide their minimum basic needs 


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of food, health, education, housing, and other essential amenities of 
life; 
 
(iii) 
Marginalized workers refer to workers who have not benefitted 
from education, health, employment, and other opportunities by 
reasons of poverty, geographical inaccessibility, culture, gender, 
among others, and to workers who are less likely to have formal 
work arrangements, and are more likely to lack decent working 
conditions, adequate social security, and whose employment is 
characterized by inadequate earnings, low productivity, and difficult 
conditions of work that undermine their fundamental rights; 
 
(n) “Wage employment” refers to the act of generating one’s income from an 
employer-employee relationship. 
 
Article II 
 
Wage Employment Assistance Program  
for Displaced and/or Vulnerable Workers or TUPAD Program 
 
Section 5. Wage Employment Assistance Program for Displaced and/or 
Vulnerable Workers or TUPAD Program. – The TUPAD Program is a social safety 
net designed to assist displaced and/or vulnerable workers and their families, and get 
them back on their feet by providing them wage employment if they fall on hard 
times due to disasters, epidemics, war, armed conflict, crises, economic shocks or 
income loss brought about by ill-health, disability, work-related accidents or 


7 
 
injuries, unemployment, work displacements due to business closure, retrenchment, 
rightsizing, redundancy, technological advances, and other analogous causes. For 
this purpose, the TUPAD Program being implemented by the DOLE providing 
emergency employment for displaced or disadvantaged workers is hereby 
institutionalized. 
 
Section 6. Lead Agency and Convergence with Related Government 
Assistance Program. – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) shall be 
the lead agency in the implementation of the TUPAD Program and shall proactively 
administer directly, motu proprio, wage employment projects, in coordination or 
collaboration with relevant government agencies, in the event of massive 
displacement of workers resulting in serious disruption of means of livelihood.  
 
The Department shall be responsible in the administration, sourcing, 
assessment, and approval of all project proposals for appropriate funding using 
TUPAD funds. It shall integrate and collaborate with other government agencies, 
business and labor groups, and civil society groups in implementing similar or 
related programs and services for efficient and effective whole-of-nation approach 
in the delivery of social safety nets. 
 
Section 7. Eligible Projects for TUPAD; No Counterpart Funding 
Requirement. - All employment projects, to be eligible for funding under TUPAD, 
shall be under any of the listed eligible projects below. The Department shall set the 
period of work of approved employment project depending on the nature and 
duration of the work to be performed, but in no case shall the project duration be less 
than ten (10) days, nor to exceed ninety (90) days, as provided herein: 


8 
 
 
Eligible Projects 
Maximum No. of 
Working Days 
(a) Light works, such as street sweeping and 
cleaning of public facilities. 
15 
(b) Social community projects such as de-
clogging of canals, debris clearing/segregation 
and materials recovery, stockpiling and clearing 
at the aftermath of calamity or disaster. 
 
45 
(c) Social community projects such as minor 
repair and maintenance of common public 
facilities such as schools and health centers. 
 
60 
(d) Government projects requiring improvement 
of government facilities and infrastructures such 
as health centers, irrigation canals, roads, 
evacuation centers, school buildings, and the like 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
90 
(e) Economic community projects such as 
maintenance and/or rehabilitation of farm-to-
market roads, bridges, post-harvest facilities, 
public markets, and common public facilities 
such as production and display centers, fish 
ports, etc. 
(f) Agro-Forestry and eco-agriculture farming 
which 
include 
tree-planting, 
seedling 
preparation, re-forestation and crop growing. 
(g) Field works, such as conduct of survey and 
profiling, in partnership with other government 
offices. 
 
 
No counterpart funding shall be required in the implementation of the project 
from the Local Government Units (LGUs) or any of DOLE’S accredited program 
partners. However, they shall provide technical assistance, which could be in the 
form of identification of projects, profiling of beneficiaries, procurement, 
monitoring, and facilitating access of services from other agencies.  


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TUPAD projects involving 46-90-day period of work shall be implemented in 
partnership and/or complementation with agencies implementing public projects, 
such as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of 
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Local Government Units (LGUs), as 
well as private sector entities to engage in public projects. Said offices/program 
partners shall provide the required materials, tools, and equipment including office 
equipment, as warranted by the nature of work.  
 
Section 8. Qualified Beneficiaries. - All displaced workers and/or vulnerable 
workers are qualified beneficiaries under this Act; Provided, that the Secretary of 
Labor, may, in proper instances, also approve programs under the TUPAD Program 
that will include the underemployed, including sub-professionals involved in 
structured work in support of office operations or those engaged in arts, crafts, 
manual, and clerical work, as beneficiaries under this Act.  
 
The Secretary of DOLE shall set standards on the TUPAD beneficiaries, 
including the allowable number of beneficiaries per household, the number of 
projects under the Program a qualified beneficiary may participate in, and such other 
relevant matters for the effective implementation of this Act, with a view to helping 
the most number of beneficiaries.  
 
Section 9. Modes of Implementation of the TUPAD Program. - The TUPAD 
Program shall be implemented by the DOLE Regional Offices through any of the 
following modes: 
 


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(a) Accredited Co-Partner (ACP). Under this mode, the ACP shall be the 
Department’s partner or conduit in the implementation of the program; 
Provided, that they are registered with any registering body of the 
government and accredited by DOLE as ACP under the TUPAD Program.  
 
The following shall qualify as ACP: 
 
(i) 
People’s Organization; 
 
(ii) 
Private sector unions, federations, or workers’ associations, as 
defined in Book V of the Omnibus Rules and Regulations 
Implementing the Labor Code of the Philippines; 
 
(iii) 
Cooperatives; 
 
(iv) 
Church-based organizations; 
 
(v) 
Private educational institutions; 
 
(vi) 
Private foundations; and 
 
(vii) Government agencies and instrumentalities, including National 
Government 
Agencies, 
Local 
Government 
Units, 
and 
Government Owned and Controlled Corporations. 
 


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(b) Direct 
Administration. 
Under 
this, 
the 
administration 
and 
implementation of the TUPAD Program shall be undertaken directly by 
the Department’s regional provincial and/or field offices. 
 
Section 10. Accreditation of Co-Partners (ACP). – The DOLE shall accredit 
the co-partners in the implementation of the TUPAD Program, and for this purpose, 
shall set the guidelines for the accreditation process.  
 
Government agencies, including local government units (LGUs) and state 
university and colleges (SUCs), shall automatically be TUPAD program partners, 
without need of accreditation, upon execution of a TUPAD Partnership 
Memorandum of Agreement, clearly outlining the responsibilities and deliverables 
of each party under the program. 
 
Section 11. Employment Project Implementation Requirements. – All 
programs under the TUPAD Program shall observe the following: 
 
(a) Strict compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Standards 
provided under Republic Act No. 11058 and other related laws and 
regulations; 
 
(b) Provision of necessary equipment for beneficiaries needed to participate in 
a project effectively and safely under the Program; 
 
(c) Enrollment of every beneficiary to a group micro-insurance to be included 
in the total project cost; 


12 
 
 
(d) Issuance of an identification card or document for every beneficiary 
participating in a project under the Program; 
 
(e) Assistance to beneficiaries who have participated in the Program of skills 
training or upgrading towards self-employment or wage employment. For 
this purpose, the Department and TESDA shall ensure the implementation 
and enforcement of this provision; 
 
(f) Mechanisms to ensure that the Department and/or its accredited co-
partners monitor the implementation of every employment project under 
the TUPAD Program; and 
 
(g) Submission of proper documentary requirements for the release and 
liquidation of funds for every employment project under the TUPAD 
Program subject to relevant accounting and auditing rules and regulations. 
 
Section 12.  Wages and Compensation of Beneficiaries – The wages and 
compensation of the beneficiaries shall not be less than 100% of the prevailing 
private sector minimum wage rate set by the Regional Tripartite Wages and 
Productivity Board (RTWPB) for non-agricultural workers in the area or locality 
where the project will be implemented. 
 
Section 13. 
Unlawful Acts.  – It shall be unlawful for any individual 
or Accredited Co-Partner to commit the following acts:  
 


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(i) 
Defraud the government by issuing or presenting falsified or 
misleading documents, or using false pretenses or other fraudulent acts 
to acquire funding provided under this Act;  
 
(ii) 
Coerce, invite, encourage or assist persons to seek assistance from the 
Department for purposes of acquiring from the beneficiary a portion of 
the assistance, before or after the receipt of assistance; 
 
(iii) 
Mislead an individual or group to join, pay or cooperate with a group 
falsely representing itself as an Accredited Co-Partner, or falsely 
promising priority in the processing of assistance. 
 
Any violation of this provision shall result in the blacklisting of the accredited 
co-partner, and the return of the amount involved with legal interest, without 
prejudice to the filing of appropriate criminal cases under Act No. 3815, otherwise 
known as the Revised Penal Code, and other pertinent laws.  
 
If the accredited co-partner is an LGU or SUC, the LGU or SUC shall 
immediately address such deficiency and/or error, without prejudice to applicable 
rules and regulations of the Commission on Audit, and the filing of civil, criminal 
or administration actions. In case of direct administration, the responsible DOLE 
personnel shall be subjected to administrative investigation, without prejudice to the 
filing of appropriate civil or criminal cases. 
 
Section 14. Project Funding. – Approved employment project proposals shall 
be funded under the TUPAD Program fund under the budget of the DOLE.  


14 
 
 
The Department shall be primarily responsible for managing the funds for the 
implementation of the Program. 
 
Section 15. Authority to Receive and Administer Donations for TUPAD 
Program. – The Department is hereby authorized under this Act to receive donations 
from government and non-government organizations and to administer the same 
strictly and exclusively for the beneficiaries and qualified applicants of the TUPAD 
Program, subject to relevant accounting and auditing rules and regulations. 
 
Section 16. Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation of the TUPAD Program. 
– The Department shall establish a standardized monitoring and reporting system to 
properly document every approved project under the Program.  
 
It shall also submit to Congress and make available to the public, an annual 
accomplishment report and utilization of the funds earmarked for the 
implementation of the TUPAD Program. The annual report shall include the 
pertinent details of every project under the Program, the mode of implementation, 
number of beneficiaries, donations from private and other organizations, 
expenditures, number of beneficiaries who acquired employment after their 
participation in the Program, and other pertinent information as may be necessary. 
An impact evaluation shall be conducted from time to time, but not later than every 
three years. 
 
 
 


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Article III 
Miscellaneous Provisions 
 
Section 17. Appropriations. – The funds for the initial implementation of this 
Act shall be sourced from the current budget of the Department for the 
implementation of the TUPAD Program. Thereafter, the amount necessary for its 
continued implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations 
Act; Provided, that such appropriation shall take into consideration an 
administration fee of not more than 5%. 
 
Section 18. Implementing Rules and Regulations – Within ninety (90) days 
from the effectivity of this Act, the DOLE shall, in consultation with TESDA, 
Department of Trade and Industry, and other relevant government agencies and 
stakeholders, issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective 
implementation of this Act. 
 
Section 19. Separability Clause. – Any portion or provision of this Act that 
is declared unconstitutional or invalid shall not have the effect of nullifying other 
portions or provisions hereof as long as such remaining portions can still subsist and 
be given effect in their entirety. 
 
Section 20. Repealing Clause. – All laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, 
other issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. Nothing in this Act shall result in the diminution 
of the benefits and/or assistance given to overseas Filipinos and migrant workers as 
provided in other laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, and issuances. 


16 
 
 
Section 21. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
complete publication in at least (2) newspapers of general circulation or in the 
Official Gazette.  
 
Approved,