As a capability program that provides access to opportunities to improve the socio-economic wellbeing of poor, vulnerable and marginalized communities, the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) never stops providing livelihood assistance to qualified participants in the region.

The different Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) participants of Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental pose with gladness after receiving their SLP grants.

The Field Office has assessed, validated and approved a total of 1,850 project proposals within the region.

As of February 2019, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through the SLP released a total amount of Php 185,126,067.72 to 31,073 qualified SLP participants of region 7.

In Cebu province, a total of Php 81,159,200.00 was released to 17,714 SLP participants, of which 2,237 are Pantawid beneficiaries and 15,477 are Non-Pantawid beneficiaries.

A total of Php 33,231,586.22 was released in Bohol province to 4,162 participants which accommodated 2,559 Pantawid beneficiaries and 1,603 Non-Pantawid beneficiaries.

In Negros Oriental, the DSWD SLP released the amount of Php 62,695,281.50 to 8,463 participants with 4,522 Pantawid beneficiaries and 3,941 Non-Pantawid beneficiaries while Siquijor province released the amount of Php 8,040,000.00 to 734 participants with 358 Pantawid beneficiaries and 376 Non-Pantawid beneficiaries.

This assistance from the government is used for different livelihood projects like rice retailing, sari-sari store, general merchandise, hog raising, cattle fattening, bigasan, upcycling materials, water refilling stations, handicraft making, food processing, egg-laying, duck raising, balot production, furniture making, home décor making, fashion accessories making, different kinds of food production and others.

The government through DSWD strives in providing livelihood projects like SLP to the poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged residents in the region. Now, the department continues giving grants to them in Central Visayas. ###

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Central Visayas is now accepting applicants for the Government Internship Program (GIP) for calendar year 2019.

This program aims to provide a chance for youths to acquire life skills and learn disciplines or etiquette related to labor and employment while earning a stipend for 30 days that may help them for their daily school sustenance in the coming school year.

Based on the minimum requirements of this program, applicants should be 18-25 years old, in good health condition, high school graduate/TESDA Certificate holder/has attended Ladderized Education Program (LEP), with a family monthly income not exceeding the existing poverty threshold which is Php 9,063.75, and a member of Pag-asa Youth Association of the Philippines (PYAP) or a youth of family under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

Interested applicants may visit the Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) Offices in their provinces and look for their respective SWAD Team Leaders. The following are the SWAD Team Leaders for each province of Central Visayas region: Ms. Ligaya Dael for Cebu; Ms. Rhea Marie Tubongbanua for Bohol; Ms. Jenny Egagamao for Negros Oriental; and Ms. Michelle Ylaya for Siquijor.

The deadline for submission of application on this program is March 29, 2019. All applications are subject to assessment by the Technical Working Group. ###

The Department of Social Welfare and Development Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) recently opened its weeklong trade fair and photo exhibit on March 11, 2019 at Parkmall rotunda, Mandaue City.

Dubbed as Likhang Hiraya: Pangarap patungong PagSibol, the activity aims to strengthen and increase the public’s awareness and familiarity to the SLP’s works, and its impact to the beneficiaries.

Models Hazel Jade Ybañez (left) and Fernando Villarin Jr. (right), SLP Project Development Officers, wear these chic and stylish raffia cocktail dress and modern raffia barong outfit made out of raffia palm trees from the municipality of Danao, Bohol. The creation of these unique apparels is supported and promoted by the local government unit of Danao.

“We wanted to increase the knowledge and information of the general public about the SLP of DSWD,” said OIC-Regional Director Rebeccca P. Geamala.

Adopting this year’s communication tagline, SIBOL: Solidarity and Inclusivity in Building Opportunities for Livelihoods, the program wants to promote its advocacies in relation to sustainable livelihood, and its multifaceted socio-economic impacts to people and communities. It also aims to highlight the benefits of strong partnership and collaboration of people and institutions in the program’s pursuit of sustainable livelihood.

OIC-Director Geamala added, “I dream and desire that our products will not only reach region 6, 7 and 8 in the Visayas cluster, hopefully, it will be brought to other countries. And, we will make these associations very strong and self-sustaining that can create more members and would employ others to ensure that they too will be accessed to basic services like income generation.”

The weeklong product display, photo exhibit and trade fair at Parkmall started on March 11, 2019 and will end on March 15, 2019.

“We are banking on the power of images and visual exhibition as effective communication tools to further educate and engage the general public’s interest in SLP,” said Dir. Restituto B. Macuto, SLP National Program Manager.

Highlights in the opening salvo included a launching of SLP book entitled Bidlisiw: SLP Compendium of Stories of Change; a demonstration of fashion necklace making out of shell covered by GMA 7’s Cecille Quibod-Castro for her DIY program; and, a very unique and creative presentation of products solely made by the SLP program participants through a fashion show.

The SLP Project Development Officers (PDOs) sashayed down the ramp with purely local and handmade products created out from the participants’ creative ideas and visions like sinamay products of Bacong, Negros Oriental; raffia products of Danao, Bohol; shells products of Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City; Cebu and a fashioned dress out of recycled materials of Siquijor, Siquijor.

According to Director Macuto, Likhang Hiraya is a very timely and fitting celebration because it highlights that behind the tedious processes of the SLP there is remarkable beauty and art in what the DSWD SLP do and achieve together with participants. ###

To fast track in receiving their cash grants, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VII and the Landbank of the Philippines (LBP) issued cash cards to Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) partner-beneficiaries.

A Pantawid Pamilya partner-beneficiary in Cebu City receives her ATM card from the Landbank of the Philippines personnel.

These cash cards were issued by LBP to the 154,121 4Ps partner-beneficiaries who had no cash cards yet and previously got their cash grant through over-the-counter (OTC) transactions or offsite payment.

The cash grants are usually disbursed to beneficiaries through LBP and they can claim their cash grant through a cash card or through OTC. In far-flung areas, conduit banks who are mostly rural and cooperative banks accredited by LBP are tapped in OTC payout.

“Mas madali na kini sa pagkuha sa among cash grant ikompara sa OTC kay sa una man gud magsayu mi lakaw gikan sa among balay padung sa lugar sa payoutan karun pwede na kami maka-adto sa banko miskin unsa nga oras (This would be much convenient in receiving our cash grant compared to the OTC because before we would leave the house early in going to the payout site but now we can go to the bank any time we want),” said Mary Joy Baflor of Brgy. Adlaon, Cebu City.

All Mary Joy’s children are monitored under 4Ps who are studying in Grade 5, Grade 4 and the youngest child is enrolled in an Early Childhood Care and Development center.

“Nakatabang gyud ang cash grant sa Pantawid sa pagpaeskwela sa mga bata labi na nga dili paigo ang kita sa akong bana gikan sa pag-uma (The cash grant of Pantawid helps in the education of our children especially that the income of my husband from farming is not enough),” added Mary Joy.

To augment their food consumption, Mary Joy also shared that they maintain a vegetable garden in their house.

The releasing of cash cards in four provinces of region 7 has started on February 16, 2019 and is targeted to finish by the end of April 2019.

The cash cards can be used in any Land Bank ATM outlets without additional charge or in any bank with additional charges. ###

To further strengthen the election-related and active citizenship campaign of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-7 to its Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries, a series of Voters’ Education and discussion of election info-briefer have been conducted since February 26, 2019.

Kerwin Macopia, Pantawid Information Officer, discusses further the election info-briefer to the Pantawid Partner beneficiaries in Mandaue City.

This effort aims to provide beneficiaries with information that will importantly guide them in protecting themselves and the program from possible exploits during elections. In the activity, Pantawid partner-beneficiaries were constantly encouraged to exercise their right to suffrage and protect its secrecy and sanctity amid the spread of fake news on the program implementation and the approaching elections.

Pantawid Information Officer Kerwin Macopia who led the discussion and distribution of the election info-briefer to Pantawid partner-beneficiaries in Mandaue, Lapu-lapu and Cebu City had emphasized one of the misconceptions of the beneficiaries and other people about the program and elections.

“Wala’y laing makapatangtang ninyo sa programa kon dili ang inyo lamang dili pagsunod sa mga kondisyon niini ug kung wala na moy mga estudyante nga makarga sa programa (You can only be removed from the program if you fail to comply with the set conditions of the program or if you no longer have eligible children for monitoring),” emphasized Macopia.

The beneficiaries are also encouraged to report any anomalies or suspicious activities related to Pantawid Pamilya and elections in their area to the DSWD or City/Municipal Link nearest to them.

The 4Ps is a program of the national government that invests in the health and education of poor households primarily of children aged 18 and below. It provides cash grants to compliant household beneficiaries with health grant worth Php 500 and educational grants worth Php 300 and Php 500 for each children studying in elementary and high school. Apart from that, the beneficiaries are also entitled with a rice subsidy in the form of cash amounting to Php 600. ###

A total of 26 visually and orthopedically impaired graduates of skills training in the Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center (AVRC) II of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) – 7 have recently received livelihood starter kits amounting to Php 243,292.50 from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 7’s Integrated Livelihood Program.

Mr. Em Caniban (second from right), one of the visually impaired graduates of the DSWD-7’s AVRC II receives a livelihood starter kit from the DOLE Integrated and Livelihood Program with massage therapy tools and items inside.

The Integrated Livelihood Program of DOLE is a capacity-building assistance/grant for the livelihood of the vulnerable and indigent workers, either for individual or group livelihood projects.

Labor and Employment Officer Fernando S. Lopez and Administrative Assistant IV Erwin A. Demiar of DOLE-7 spearheaded the turnover and distribution of the 26 livelihood starter kits to AVRC II graduates of the courses Massage Therapy, Sewing Craft, Commercial Arts and Craft, Computer Technology, Consumer Electronics, Commercial Cooking and Basic Cosmetology to help them immediately start a livelihood activity.

Mr. Graeme Ferdinand Armecin, head of AVRC II, has expressed his appreciation on this provision of tools, supplies and materials to the 26 PWD graduates of the Center through the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program in collaboration with the Helping Hands Organization of PWDs Inc. which is an accredited co-partner of DOLE and a self-help group organized by AVRC II.

“The continued partnership of DOLE-7, DSWD-7 and the Helping Hands Organization of PWDs Inc., manifests how the government and private people’s organization is supporting and preparing PWDs to be economically productive,” added Mr. Armecin.

This effort aims to promote livelihood and entrepreneurship among the marginalized sectors in the community that includes the Persons with Disability (PWD) and reduce the impact of poverty to generate employment through actual practice of acquired skills and use of livelihood starter kits.

This is a one-time assistance for this group of graduates who were identified as beneficiaries of the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program but the proposals from Partner-People’s Organizations like the helping Hands Organization of PWDs Inc. for the provision of financial assistance for starter kits to another group of AVRC II graduates will still be accommodated. ###

“Daghan ganahan sa mga nagpuyo diri sa Caohagan ganahan sa among pan bisaya nga sila pa gani ang mo follow up namo nga magluto mi, sila gyu’y mo una og ingon namo ana. Mao ng nadasig pud mi nga maghimo og pan. Tungod ana, adunay dugang kalambuan sa among asosayon diri sa Caohagan (Many from our neighborhood like the bread. Actually they are the ones who tell us to make bread and encourage us to do our best every single day. Because of that support from the community, we became fruitful),” said Minerva Manoy, Caohagan Pan Bisaya Sustainable Livelihood Program Association (SLPA) Treasurer.

The proud mothers and members of the Caohagan Pan Bisaya SLPA.

The Caohagan Pan Bisaya SLPA is situated in Brgy. Caohagan, Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City. The association is composed of 48 members with 5 men and 43 women who are doing the business.

Since the members are living in the island, most of them rely their main source of income through fishing. This kind of hard work does not guarantee enough earnings for their day-to-day needs.

In May 2016, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) granted the Caohagan Pan Bisaya SLPA the amount of Php278,037.40 for the association to venture another livelihood project. The group officially started their business in July of the same year.

Since then, the group has found loyal customers for their bread. Some are local and others are foreigners like Korean, Japanese and American tourists visiting the island. For over 2 years of running the business, the members see the progress of their Pan Bisaya livelihood project.

But, what is really Pan bisaya?

“Ang ilang asosasyon sa SLP naggamit og pugon o tradisyonal nga pamaagi sa pagluto og pan bisaya. Nag dugang sab sila og ispisyal nga sagol sama sa tuno ug desiccated coconut. Pan bisaya kini tungod sa ilang pamaagi sa pagluto (The association call it pan bisaya because they use a traditional kiln in making bread and they add special ingredients like coconut milk and desiccated coconut to make the bread more flavorful),” said Chuck G. Mutia, SLP Monitoring Project Development Officer.

With this, Brgy. Captain Ranilo C. Abayan of Caohagan supports the SLPA by allowing them to use the store area for free with corresponding memorandum of agreement. This has inspired the group to make pan bisaya daily.

The encouragement they get from the community folks and from the tourists is one of the reasons why the lives of the members become more productive.

The way they manage the business helps the members benefit from it together with their families.

Sukad naabot ang SLPA diri, dako gyud nig natabang namo kay tungod nga sa wala pani sya, dili gyud mi kahibalo mo gama og mga pan, di mi kahibaw mugama anang unsay mga menu, procedure ani niya. Kung ang mga membro maglisod gani unya wala sila’y lain magamit, makaduol gyud sila sa asosasyon kay naa man silay madawat nga ginansya (Since SLPA came to our place, it has helped us a lot. Before, we had no idea about the ingredients and how to process this bread. When it came, it helped improve the lives of the members whenever they need some amount for their families), said Minerva Manoy, SLPA Treasurer.

Dako kaayo mi’g pasalamat sa mga kadagkoan sa DSWD nga sila usa pud nga ni padasig kanamo nga kining asosasyon ma improve gyud. Kay bisan kalisod pag-atubang ani sama aning sa dakong bawod, sila mauri gyud aron mugiya namo unsaon pagpalambo aning asosayon (Our heartfelt gratitude to DSWD region 7 for their encouragement. Despite the difficulties the DSWD workers would encounter like the big waves to the island and vice versa, they still come over to help us in strengthening the association),” said Blisilda A. Mellino, SLPA President.

The association will continue to strive hard to make Caohagan Pan Bisaya SLPA a productive and successful one. ###