TUPAD backs national food security, creates jobs for Agusanons under Agusan Up!
By Nora L. Molde
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) – The implementation of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program in Agusan del Norte is reinforcing the national government’s food security and rural development agenda while creating immediate livelihood opportunities for hundreds of Agusanons.
A total of 436 beneficiaries from the municipalities of Buenavista, Nasipit, Carmen, and Las Nieves are currently employed under the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) TUPAD program through funds facilitated by Agusan del Norte Congressional Representative Dale B. Corvera in partnership with Agusan del Norte Governor Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante under the Agusan Up! development campaign.
The initiative supports the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to boost local food production, expand rural employment opportunities, and strengthen community-based agricultural development as part of the administration’s push for inclusive economic growth and food sustainability.
Under the ‘Mapadayunong Tisuk’ campaign of the Plant! Plant! Plant!, a component of Agusan Up!, beneficiaries are engaged in planting cacao, coffee, vegetables, fruit-bearing trees, and other high-value crops in different parts of the province.
Each TUPAD beneficiary is entitled to 15 days of work with a daily wage of P475 or a total compensation of P7,125.
Of the total beneficiaries, 219 workers in Buenavista are involved in nursery management, pruning, and coffee production activities; 143 workers in Nasipit are engaged in cacao and vegetable planting; 96 workers in Las Nieves are focused on coffee and vegetable production; while 74 workers in Carmen are cultivating vegetables and fruit-bearing trees.
Rep. Corvera said the initiative demonstrates how government programs can provide both immediate assistance and long-term economic opportunities for communities. “This is not only a temporary source of employment but also a way to strengthen food production and improve the livelihood of our people in line with the direction of the national government,” Corvera said.
Gov. Amante emphasized that the province is maximizing government interventions by integrating emergency employment with sustainable agricultural programs aimed at long-term economic growth. “Our goal is not only to provide jobs but also to build a strong and sustainable agricultural industry that will create more income and opportunities for Agusanons,” Amante said.
Also, Roscoe Plaza highlighted the growing potential of the cacao industry in Nasipit as part of the province’s long-term agricultural and economic roadmap. “We are committed to positioning Nasipit as the province’s ‘Chocolate City’ through expanded cacao production and processing. This initiative will not only create jobs but also open more economic opportunities for our farmers and local communities,” Plaza said.
Melisa, a resident of Buenavista and one of the TUPAD beneficiaries, expressed gratitude for the assistance, saying the program has helped provide for her family while giving them an opportunity to contribute to the province’s agricultural development.
The current TUPAD cycle is expected to cover at least 125 hectares of agricultural land during the 15-day implementation period.
The Agusan Up! campaign aims to develop 12 priority industries and transform around 125,000 hectares of underutilized lands into productive agricultural areas through the Plant! Plant! Plant! and Process! Process! Process! programs.
Among the priority commodities identified are cacao in Nasipit, coffee and cassava in Las Nieves, commercial trees and coffee in Buenavista, and mangoes and other fruit crops in Carmen.
Nasipit is also being positioned as the province’s future ‘chocolate city,’ with Sitio Balaatan in Barangay Camagong eyed as a major cacao production and processing hub aligned with the province’s long-term agribusiness development roadmap.
Meanwhile, provincial officials said another round of TUPAD implementation is being rolled out in the municipalities of Remedios T. Romualdez, Magallanes, Tubay, Santiago, Jabonga, Kitcharao, and the city of Cabadbaran as the province continues to expand the reach of the Agusan Up! development campaign. (NCLM, PIA Agusan del Norte with a report from the Office of Agusan del Norte Congressional Representative)
