DSWD-7 joins 3 big-ticket programs

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 conducted convergence activities yesterday called "Lambigit," a Cebuano word for involvement.

DSWD-7 said that this is one way of intensifying the convergence of the three big-ticket programs of the department, namely: the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS), and the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).

For the SLP, the department distributed a total of P6.4 million to the 18 Sustainable Livelihood Program Associations (SLPAs) in Lapu-Lapu City.

“Kay ang pangandoy nato sa matag Oponganon, nga mo-asenso ug molambo ang ilang matag pamilya," said Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard "Ahong" Chan during the distribution of livelihood assistance.

The beneficiaries were endorsed by the Lapu-Lapu City Government and underwent the SLP's process of selection through name matching and validation.

The seed capital fund that the beneficiaries receive will be used as start-up capital for their businesses.

On the other hand, the KALAHI-CIDSS hold a 3-day Community Volunteer’s Forum for all the 27 community volunteers from Cebu Province at the Golden Valley Hotel in Cebu City.

These are the best volunteers from the 27 municipalities in Cebu Province. They were selected to share their transformative experience and promote their advocacies for community-driven development (CDD) institutionalization.

The Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Program (BP2P) of the KALAHI-CIDSS also conducted a ceremonial payout for the beneficiaries of the Livelihood Settlement Grant (LSG), worth P50,000 per family, one of the assistance packages to families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic who returned to their province to start anew.

In 2022, 50 family beneficiaries received assistance amounting to a total of P2.5 million.

Later in the afternoon, a total of 336 households that are now self-sufficient graduated from the 4Ps and a ceremonial graduation was held at the Mandaue City Sports and Cultural Complex.

The graduates are already self-sufficient, or at level 3, based on the Social Welfare Development Indicator (SWDI) conducted by the DSWD.

To be considered a self-sufficient household, the beneficiary should have a sustained income at the time of graduation and be able to cope with their daily needs.

The 336 4Ps graduates come from the 28 local government units of Cebu, namely: Alcantara, Alcoy, Alegria, Asturias, Badian, Balamban, Bantayan, Barili, Boljoon, Borbon, Cebu City, City of Bogo, City of Talisay, Consolacion, Cordova, Dalaguete, Dumanjug, Lapu-Lapu City, Malabuyoc, Medellin, Moalboal, Ronda, Samboan, San Francisco, San Remigio, Santa Fe, Sogod, and Tabogon.

“We hope to sustain the gains in poverty alleviation by further engaging our partner-beneficiaries and linking them to other partner stakeholders like national government agencies, local government units, and civil society organizations," said DSWD-7 Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero. —  GMR (FREEMAN)