MikeLigalig.com

SEA-K program gaining momentum
By Miriam Palmes-Aquino

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (1 July 2005) -- SEA-K or the Self-Employment Assistance Kaunlaran Program changed the lives of less fortunate individuals thru micro-enterprise and also acquiring their own relending businesses.

This program, called the Self-Employment Assistance Kaunlaran or SEA-K Program which started since 1996, is a community based credit assistance launched by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, using the people's organizations to be uniformly called SEA-Kaunlaran Groups or Associations (SKA's/SKG's) as credit channels.

Prior to the program, the people are attuned to the problems and needs in the area, in which entrepreneurial development activities and values formation are implemented to attain the goals and objectives of the Association.

SEA-K has assisted 763 SEA-K groups thru its funds that has reached an amount of Php 65,751,134.00. With this large amount, it has helped around 16,708 families suffice their needs.

This fund has been distributed to the provinces of Pangasinan with 309 projects and capital assistance of P 28,346,000,00. Ilocos Sur with 239 projects and credit assistance of P 17,676,299.00. La Union received P10M served for 107 projects and lastly, the province of Ilocos Norte who received P9M for funding 108 projects.

According to Ms. Luz Pilar, Project Evaluation Officer for La Union, DSWD, in La Union, every town and the lone city are required to have at least two to nine groups/association with 25 to 30 members each group, as beneficiaries for a particular funding project. The initial amount granted for the first level SEA-Kaunlaran ranges from P4,000.00-P5,000.00 with a maximum amount of P100,000.00 depending on the project they are going to engage with, without interest.

Beneficiaries are engaged in different skills like broom making, bagoong making, piggery, buy and sell, batya making, fishing, tinapa making, as well as bakery, sari-sari store, carinderia and pasalubong center owners.

Ms. Glenaflor Magsakay, Municipal Social Worker based in Rosario, La Union, explained that if these groups/associations will establish good repayment records, rollbacks or have gained at least P20,000.00-P60,000.00, they will be given a chance to be upgraded to a higher level called SEA-Kabayan or SEA-K level II, where they can avail of larger amount of credit assistance ranging from P35,000 (maximum amount for individual projects) to P500,000 (for groups) and can even reach up to P1M. Compared to SEA-Kaunlaran which is for livelihood purposes only, SEA-Kabayan is intended for livelihood, home improvement/basic shelter purposes and children's education.

Successful SEA-Kabayan groups having earned much, also use their gains/earnings in relending purposes to members and non-members placing just a very small interest out of their own funds. (PIA Ilocos)

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=89180.0