Executive Secretary Ralph Recto ordered the accelerated rollout of key labor programs, including the strategic deployment of TUPAD workers for this year’s Brigada Eskwela, during a meeting with newly appointed Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino.

Recto met with Tolentino on Wednesday to lay down directions for fast-tracking priority initiatives, in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to generate more job opportunities for Filipinos.

A key focus of the meeting was the implementation of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program ahead of the opening of classes.

Recto said TUPAD beneficiaries should be mobilized to support the nationwide Brigada Eskwela campaign by helping in the maintenance, repair, and beautification of public schools.

The move, he said, would not only help schools prepare for the resumption of classes but also provide temporary employment to Filipinos in need.

TUPAD is a community-based emergency employment program of the Department of Labor and Employment that provides short-term jobs for displaced, underemployed, and vulnerable workers. Launched in 2009 under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP), TUPAD beneficiaries are typically assigned to community work such as clean-up drives, rehabilitation projects, reforestation, declogging operations, and school maintenance for a period ranging from 10 to 30 days.

The program has also been widely used during calamities and economic disruptions to provide temporary income assistance while supporting community recovery efforts. In 2024, TUPAD workers were tapped for flood control and Brigada Eskwela-related activities, including the cleaning of schools, canals, and public spaces.

The Executive Secretary also assured Tolentino of the full backing of the Office of the Executive Secretary for DOLE’s programs and initiatives.

Recto expressed confidence in Tolentino’s leadership, saying the new labor chief is “the right man for the job.”

Also present during the meeting was Department of Education Undersecretary Fatima Lipp Panontongan.