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GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Some 300 informal workers in South Cotabato are set to benefit from a P3.5 million livelihood program supported by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Region 12.

Cynthia Barrientos, South Cotabato Public Employment and Services Office (Peso) manager, said Tuesday they have started the processing of applications for the livelihood initiative, which is targeted to start next month.

She said DOLE-12 formally released to the local government last week a grant of P2,847,000 under its Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (Dileep).

The provincial government allotted a counterpart funding of P715,700 to facilitate the program’s rollout, she said.

Barrientos said the program is anchored on the DOLE's "Handog Kabuhayan sa Mamamayan Program," which was initially implemented in 2014.

She said they have received more than 300 applications among informal workers from parts of the province’s 10 towns and lone city.

The prospective beneficiaries would fill-up the slots of applicants in 2014 who cancelled their applications and did return.

Under the program, she said DOLE-12 and the Peso will assist beneficiaries in starting their own small business ventures.

Barrientos said the available projects are food businesses with Negosyo carts, welding and steel fabrication, vulcanizing and car washing, vegetable propagation, cosmetology, kakanin making, dressmaking, rug making, and bag making.

“The program mainly aims help informal workers transition into formal ones and reduce poverty in our communities,” she said.

Barrientos said the provincial government signed a memorandum of agreement with DOLE-12 for the funding and implementation of the program.

As part of the agreement, she said the provincial government provided an equity or counterpart of 20 percent of the total project cost.

The counterpart funding will cover for the supervision and monitoring, and other needs related to the project’s implementation, she said.

Dileep seeks to contribute to poverty reduction and reduce vulnerability to risks of the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized workers through emergency employment and promotion of entrepreneurship and community enterprises.

It is the DOLE's contribution to the governments' agenda of inclusive growth through massive job generation throughout the country.

The program’s components are the Kabuhayan or livelihood program and emergency employment program, which is also dubbed Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers.(FKA/PNA)



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