GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 3 Sept) – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Region 12 released on Wednesday around P19.
3 million worth of livelihood packages to poor and marginalized residents from various parts of the region.
Ofelia Domingo, DOLE Region 12 director, said the livelihood grants were part of the region’s allocation this year under DOLE’s Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP) and the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting (GPB) program.
She said the beneficiaries include self-employed workers with insufficient income, marginalized and landless farmers, unpaid family workers, parents of child laborers, low-wage and seasonal workers and workers displaced or affected by natural and man-made disasters.
These livelihood packages, which comprise starter kits for small business ventures, will mainly assist the beneficiaries in starting their own income-generating projects, she said.
DOLE-12 officials released the livelihood grants in a simple ceremony in Koronadal City that was attended by the beneficiaries and some local government officials.
“We decided to release all the grants in one event to save time in going to areas where the beneficiaries are situated or based,” Domingo said.
The grants were released to DILEEP proponents that comprise the Family of Impaired Massage Association; Notre Dame of Dadiangas University Employees Association; Antipas Banana Workers Cooperative; San Vicente Academy Educational Service Cooperative; Adventures Multi-Purpose Cooperative; city government of Cotabato; provincial government of Sultan Kudarat; city government of Kidapawan; municipal government of Maasim in Sarangani; municipal government of Isulan in Sultan Kudarat; and the municipal governments of Pigkawayan, M’lang and Kabacan in North Cotabato.
Under the GPB program, the beneficiaries were the local governments of Midsayap in North Cotabato, Lebak in Sultan Kudarat and Koronadal City.
Domingo said the DILEEP beneficiaries had proposed for the availment of starter kits and NegoKarts as well as projects such as massage therapy clinic, rice trading, motor parts and servicing shop, brassware making, fish buy and sell and consumer goods and services.
The DILEEP seeks to contribute to poverty reduction and reduce vulnerability to risks of the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized workers through emergency employment and promotion of entrepreneurship and community enterprises.
The program’s components are the Kabuhayan or livelihood program and emergency employment program, which is also dubbed Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers or TUPAD.