DSWD awards P3-M seed capital to 201 beneficiaries in Sorsogon town

By Connie Calipay

LEGAZPI CITY --- The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bicol (DSWD-5), through its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), has awarded PHP 3 million seed capital funds to 201 individual beneficiaries from Irosin, Sorsogon.

In a phone interview on Saturday, Ram Joseph Zaragosa, DSWD-Bicol project development officer for SLP, said 201 program participants were granted PHP15,000 each as start-up capital.

"Para sa mga magsisimula ng negosyo, sana maayos at mapalago nila. Meron din naman na mga pandagdag puhunan (For those who are starting a business, we hope that they can sustain and grow their businesses. There are also additional investments)," Zaragosa said.

He encouraged the beneficiaries to form an association to avail of the 5-Year Livelihood Sustainability Plan, where the SLP is anchored.

"If they want to avail more aid, we really encourage them to be a group. Mas matututukan namin sila sa pagpapaunlad ng kanilang hanapbuhay (We can focus on them more on developing their livelihood)," he said.

SLP’s 5-Year Livelihood Sustainability Plan responds to the need to improve the implementation process and timeline, while strengthening the sequence of capability-building activities and interventions to ensure the capacitation of SLP participants.

It features improved cost parameters for SLP interventions, new capability-building interven- tions, and livelihood incentives to support livelihood and association development and management throughout the five-year cycle. (PNA)