TUPAD builds climate-ready LAWA and BINHI projects

Around 300 beneficiaries of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program helped implement the LAWA (Local Adaptation to Water Access) and BINHI (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished) projects in San Rafael, Iloilo.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) provided PHP 3,078,000 in wages for 20 days of community work, offering short-term income support while enabling climate-resilient and sustainable agricultural initiatives.

Under Project LAWA, beneficiaries conducted earthworks, clearing, and fencing to construct small farm reservoirs that improve local water access and agricultural productivity amid climate change.

Reservoirs were built in the following areas: Poblacion (2,000 square meters), San Andres (600 square meters), San Dionisio (1,100 square meters), and three sites in San Florentino measuring 800, 700, and 1,200 square meters.

For Project BINHI, beneficiaries performed vegetable gardening tasks—clearing, land preparation, planting, canalization, fencing, and trellising—across a 500-square-meter area in Poblacion and barangays San Andres, San Dionisio, and San Florentino.

These community gardens are designed to promote sustainable agriculture and serve as consistent sources of nutritious food for local residents.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) partnered with DOLE to implement both projects.

Project LAWA focuses on constructing and rehabilitating water harvesting facilities and diversifying supply sources to improve water access in drought-prone areas.

Project BINHI aims to promote food security and nutrition by encouraging the adoption of sustainable and climate-resilient farming practices.

DOLE Region VI Director Atty. Sixto T. Rodriguez Jr. praised the beneficiaries’ contributions, saying their work not only provided livelihood but also helped build long-term community resilience against drought and hunger.

He said TUPAD’s engagement in vulnerable communities demonstrates its multi-pronged approach of generating employment for the informal sector while supporting climate adaptation and food sustainability.