ILOILO CITY — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWS) 6 (Western Visayas), through its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), has released a total of PHP158.9 million for 10,596 beneficiaries affected by the closure of Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan.
In a press conference here Wednesday, Jazzer Miranda, SLP focal person, said they began disbursing the money last May 30.
On that day alone, 1,323 beneficiaries were granted a total of PHP19.8 million for their proposed livelihood submitted to DSWD, mostly for setting up small stores and buying fishing boats.
“Some of these beneficiaries have organized themselves for a certain project,” he said.
The release of the first batch of grants was followed last June 23 with PHP24.5 million for the 1,635 beneficiaries; June 30, PHP13.3 million for 891 beneficiaries; July 8, PHP8.9 million for 593 beneficiaries; July 21, PHP19.3 million for 1,291 beneficiaries; Aug. 10, PHP20.8 million for 1,386 beneficiaries; and Sept. 1, PHP23.8 million for 1,591 beneficiaries.
However, Miranda said “the release of the grants does not stop here.”
“We are still validating other proposals and we hope to release their grants in the coming days,” he added.
The SLP, a capacity-building program of the DSWD, aims to improve the socioeconomic skills of its participants so they would have more livelihood opportunities for a sustainable income.
It is divided in two tracks — the microenterprise development, which supports micro-enterprises in becoming organizationally and economically viable; and employment facilitation, which provides assistance to unemployed members of poor families and helps participants access appropriate employment opportunities. (/PNA)
