“Nalipay gyud kaayo ko aning ayuda nga akong nadawat, usa ako ka single parent ug naa koy upat (4) ka anak, lisod gyud kay ang akong puhunan sa online selling na hinay-hinay nag ka kahurot tungod kay hinay na pud ug lisod ang negosyo sukad nag sugod ang pandemic. Dako na kaayo nga aron tabang nga aron mabalik na ang akong puhunan (I am delighted to receive this financial assistance. I am a solo parent with four children. My investment in online selling was depleted due to slow business at this time of the pandemic. This is a big help to get my investment back),” shares Maria Cristina Cristobal, after she received the Php 15,000 cash assistance.
People’s livelihood is greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses have collapsed. Many have lost their jobs, which caused hardship and hunger.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), which leads in providing social protection to the poor and marginalized sector, has allotted Php 136 million budget for the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP). The SLP has implemented the Livelihood Assistance Grant (LAG) for the families/entrepreneurs whose livelihoods suffered because of the pandemic.
The Livelihood Assistance Grant covers all cities and municipalities that imposed community quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The target beneficiaries of LAG include families in crisis situations, families profiled through SAC form and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) database, families who were not included in the recovery and rehabilitation projects of other national agencies, and those whose sources of incomes or livelihoods were affected during the quarantine period are the target beneficiaries of LAG. These beneficiaries are identified and validated by the Project Development Officers assigned in the respective LGUs.
Aracelli B. Quiel, SLP project development officer, emphasized that the assistance provided by the DSWD SLP to the affected families is significant for the recovery of the families’ livelihoods after nearly seven (7) months of community quarantine. One must be responsible and uses the assistance properly. “We encourage the beneficiaries to improve their lives through their livelihoods and recover from the crisis,” Quiel added as she emphasized that the beneficiaries must liquidate the expenses seven (7) days after they received the assistance. The project development officers assigned in the municipalities monitor the implementation of LAG.
“Sa SLP daghan kaayong salamat sa supporta, karong panahon sa COVID dako kaayo ning tabang. Ako gyud kining ipuhunan pamuhi ug baboy aron maka sustener kay wala naman kami mga trabaho (Thank you, so much SLP, for the financial support. This helps a lot, especially during this COVID time. I will invest this on hog raising to sustain us because we have no work anymore),” Frankelina Basay of Canburoy, Samboan, Cebu said. Basay emotionally shared her ordeals during the community quarantine. She also expressed how grateful she is to be one of the beneficiaries of the Livelihood Assistance Grant.
Maria Cristina Cristobal and Frankelina Basay are just a few of the beneficiaries who want to rise again and improve their livelihood after this pandemic with the help of the livelihood assistance grant they received.
The DSWD SAP-LAG has already disbursed a total of Php 2.8 million to 302 beneficiaries, who received the cash assistance from the municipalities of Sogod, San Remigio, and Samboan in Cebu. ###
(1177) Views