Besa awaits DOLE ruling on TUPAD deductions

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz — Mayor Jonathan “Sonny” Besa is awaiting the results of the investigation conducted by the Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office 6 into the alleged deduction from TUPAD payouts involving a Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson and a barangay kagawad.

He said the investigation was conducted Monday, May 18, after the two village officials were called by the agency regarding the complaint received by the Sangguniang Bayan of Panay about the payout deduction.

Around 30 beneficiaries of the Department of Labor and Employment’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers program in Barangay Tanza Norte, Panay, Capiz, accused their Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson and a barangay kagawad of allegedly deducting PHP 4,500 from the PHP 5,500 payout of each beneficiary.

According to alias “Ann,” she was not a legitimate beneficiary of the program and had not undergone validation to qualify.

She said the SK chairperson and the kagawad approached them and asked them to sign the needed requirements.

The two officials did not give details on the purpose of the documents.

On April 30, 2026, they were told to proceed to the “White House” in the town proper to get a voucher worth PHP 5,500 and were further told to keep only PHP 1,000 from the amount.

Alias Ann and her mother claimed the PHP 5,500 at a pawnshop on the afternoon of April 30.

Around 10 p.m. that day, the SK chairperson allegedly took the PHP 4,500 deduction from the PHP 5,500, which, according to them, was to be remitted to an official in the town.

Alias Ann questioned why she received only PHP 1,000 from the PHP 5,500 payout.

Because of Ann’s complaint, the controversy erupted, and the two village officials later returned the amount to prevent the issue from spreading.

Besa was angered Monday after learning of the incident.

He said the officials involved in the alleged irregularities will face sanctions despite returning the amount to the beneficiaries.

TUPAD is a community-based assistance package that provides emergency employment for displaced, underemployed, and seasonal workers for at least 10 days but not more than 30 days, depending on the nature of the work to be performed.