FACT CHECK: TUPAD is not a cash aid or scholarship program for students

The labor department clarifies that TUPAD is an emergency employment program for displaced workers, not a scholarship grant for students

Claim: The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is offering cash assistance to graduating students as part of its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program. 

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: A Facebook search for “TUPAD Cash Assistance 2024” yields several false claims about the supposed scholarship grant under the DOLE’s TUPAD program. 

One such post was published by the page “Philippines Scholarship,” which has over 17,000 likes and 76,000 followers. As of writing, the post has received 1,400 reactions, 2,100 comments, and 9,300 shares. 

The post claims that all graduating students from public and private schools at the college, senior high school, junior high school, and elementary levels can receive cash assistance of P8,000 if they register through the link provided in the caption. 

The post also used the TUPAD program’s official logo and a picture of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to make it seem like a verified announcement.

The facts: In a Facebook post on May 7, the DOLE Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC) clarified that the TUPAD program is neither a cash aid nor a scholarship grant program for students. 

Several regional offices of DOLE, including DOLE-CALABARZON, DOLE-Region VII, DOLE-Region VIII, and DOLE-Region X, also debunked the false posts and advised the public to direct their inquiries to the official and verified offices of DOLE. 

Not a scholarship grant: The BWSC, which serves as the TUPAD program manager, explained that TUPAD is a public employment program providing emergency employment for disadvantaged workers aged 18 and older for a period of 10 to 90 days. It does not provide financial assistance to students.

DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma also belied the fake posts circulating online, adding that there are proper application procedures for the TUPAD program based on guidelines.

“Wala pong ganitong klaseng advertisement ang DOLE. Secondly, ang TUPAD po ay hindi po scholarship program. Ito po ay temporary employment assistance, at ito po ay pinagtatrabahuhan…. May proseso bago ka maging benepisyaryo ng TUPAD. Nakalagay po ’yan sa guidelines,” Laguesma said. 

(DOLE does not have this type of advertisement. Secondly, TUPAD is not a scholarship program. It is a temporary employment assistance program, and one works for it…. There is also a process to be a beneficiary of TUPAD. It is stated in the guidelines.) 

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The DOLE Information and Publication Service Office previously told Rappler via email that the cash-for-work program is implemented either through direct administration by the agency through its regional, provincial, or field offices, or accredited co-partners, such as local government units.

Applications for the program are not done online or through any social media platform. DOLE personnel are assigned to profile potential TUPAD beneficiaries to ensure compliance with the program guidelines.

Phishing risk: The link provided in the posts also does not redirect to the official DOLE website but to an unverified blog website that asks for a user’s personal information, including their name, email, and phone number. Providing personal information on the fake application form can put social media users at risk of identity theft or phishing scams. (READ: Phishing 101: How to spot and avoid phishing)

Debunked: Rappler has previously published a fact-check on DOLE’s TUPAD program as well as several false claims on scholarship programs allegedly from government agencies:

• FACT CHECK: TUPAD job posts offering P800 daily salary are fake – DOLE
• FACT CHECK: DOLE-NLRC has no scholarship program
• FACT CHECK: Posts on DepEd cash aid for graduating students are fake
• FACT CHECK: Link for DepEd scholarship program application is fake

– Larry Chavez/Rappler.com

Larry Chavez is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

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