Cordillera Administrative Region – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) granted a total of PhP 75,000.00 worth of livelihood assistance to five drug surrenderees from Brgy. Cabaruan, Danglas, Abra. These drug surrenderees have completed their Community-based rehabilitation and counseling service before being benifited of the said livelihood.
To qualify for the Seed Capital Fund (SCF) assistance, they were organized into an association named Cabaruan Hog Raising Sustainable Livelihood Program Association (SLPA). The association was later accredited by the DSWD.
SCF is one of the four modalities of SLP. It is a one-time capability-building grant that serves as working capital for basic starter kits, raw materials, start-up expenses for permit/s to operate, as well as large and long-live tangible assets needed in starting or expanding a micro-enterprise. A maximum seed capital fund amounting to Php. 15,000.00 may be availed by each participant.
The association was provided with starter-kits which includes 8 piglets (60 days old), 8 sacks of starter feeds, 16 sacks of grower feeds, 8 sacks of finisher feeds, 2 shovel, 2 pale, and 2 plastic drum for their Hog Raising livelihood and was turned over to the association on February 18, 2019 with the presence of the Municipal and Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (MADAC/BADAC) of Danglas, Abra.
The SLPA engaged in hog raising since they are already knowledgeable of it and it fits the demand in their area.
“Kayat me nga agpasalit iti SLP ken iti LGU ta inikan dakami iti tyansa nga agbaliw. ikari mi nga agbalbaliw kamin ket padakkelen mi daytoy a proyekto nga naited kadakami para metlaeng ti pagsayaatan mi ken iti pamilya mi (We want to thank SLP and the [Danglas] LGU for giving us an oppurtunity to change. We commit to continue this transformation and make this livelihood prosper to uplift us and our family economically),” said the Association President.
“We hope that this assistance will assist our drug surrenderers in their way to achieving a new life. We also hope that they will be able to sustain this livelihood. Our office in partnership with the local government unit will continue to assist them in this endeavor”, DSWD-CAR Director Janet P. Armas said.
Though the assistance is free from interest, the beneficiaries are required to payback the amount provided to them according to their agreement within the association. This will ensure that the SLPA will have funds that the association can use.
As the lead agency that facilitates the National Drug Rehabilitation Program (NDRP) Pillar 3, the DSWD, with other national government agencies, is tasked to provide a wide range of aftercare services to reinforce the transformation and rehabilitation of drug surrenders. These include skills training opportunities, psychosocial programs, and other community-based programs that will encourage them to actively participate in community service. #DSWD-CAR Babble Mae Gorio
