The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will deploy about 240,000 workers nationwide starting Monday, June 1, to help clean and repair public school facilities under the government’s TUPAD program, Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino said Saturday.

Tolentino, speaking on DZRH’s “Special on Saturday,” said the initiative will cover around 5,000 schools and nearly 240,000 classrooms across the country in preparation for the upcoming 2026–2027 school year. The program will run in coordination with the Department of Education (Department of Education).

“Ang konsepto po ng tupad ay ’yun talagang makatulog sa local economy.”

He said the rollout is part of a partnership between DOLE and DepEd to support Brigada Eskwela, a nationwide school maintenance campaign led by the education sector.

“Yung mga maglilinis, yung mga maglilinis, magre-repair ng mga facilities, magpipintura, yung lahat na magre-repair ng classroom, katulong po ang PTA, yung mga beneficiaries po ay mga TUPAD," he explained.

Tolentino said the TUPAD program, which stands for “Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Displaced Workers,” is often associated with short-term emergency employment during disasters.

He said the government is now expanding its use to support the local economy and address public needs, including school preparation.

Under the initiative, beneficiaries will be assigned to tasks such as cleaning classrooms, repainting facilities, and conducting minor repairs, with the support of parent-teacher associations and school communities.

Tolentino said the deployment will be done simultaneously across multiple regions, including CARAGA, Bicol, Calabarzon, and parts of Metro Manila, although exact start times may vary by area. Regional offices held coordination meetings to ensure synchronized implementation during the rollout week.

He added that the program aims not only to prepare schools for opening day but also to provide immediate employment to displaced workers nationwide.