The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 7-Central Visayas recently joined the Post State of the Nation Address (SONA) Forum by providing cash assistance to local farmers and checks to some associations in the Municipality of Tuburan in northwestern Cebu.
Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero led the ceremonial payout of the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) and the ceremonial turnover of Civil Society Organization (CSO) accreditation certificates and checks to the Sustainable Livelihood Program Associations (SLPAs) participants.
About 350 AKAP beneficiaries, the majority of whom are coffee growers or farmers from the town, received PHP 3,000 each. The department also disbursed PHP 2,205,000 to six (6) SLPAs with a total of 147 members. Of the 147 members, 78 are Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4P’s) beneficiaries. Other 69 individuals belonged to the poor sector.
In her message, Director Lucero highlighted that the department, through the SLP, has already disbursed more than PHP 28 million to 2,345 participants since 2016. Of the amount, PHP 11,350,000 went to 33 SLPAs with 770 members.
She emphasized that the program will soon add 11 more associations with 283 members in the municipality.
Angelita Edillon, 77, a member of the Barangay Gimamaa Farmers Association, expressed her gratitude toward the department for the cash assistance.
“Nalipay ko og dako ug nagpasalamat sa DSWD sa assistance. Dako kaayo ni nga tabang para makapalit ko og bugas ug sud-an (I am very happy and grateful to DSWD for the assistance. This is a great help for me to buy basic necessities such as rice and some viands),” said Edillon.
The AKAP beneficiaries and SLP participants also had the opportunity to hear from the different government agencies about strategies to enhance agricultural yields, which could boost the tourism and economic industries.
The event also brought different services for the participants to avail of, offered by the government agencies that joined the Post SONA.
Besides the assistance provided by the DSWD, the information officers also shared information and distributed brochures about the programs and services of the department as brochures. ###
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