BONTOC, Mountain Province – The Department of Labor and Employment provided around P2.5 million in livelihood assistance   to benefit  150 individuals and one association in four towns  in the province.

DOLE Mountain Province Field Office   Head Apollo Luspian and Labor and Employment Officer and Livelihood Program Focal Person Amaranth Abalos led the awarding of the livelihood checks to the local government units of Tadian, Sabangan, Barlig and Natonin last week. The four LGUs serve as accredited partner of DOLE for the Kabuhayan program.

For Barlig LGU, DOLE handed over P676, 985 financial assistance for the livelihood projects of 35 individual beneficiaries; P216, 940   for the livelihood projects of 11 individual beneficiaries in Tadian, and P1, 126,325 financial assistance for 58 individual livelihood undertakings in Natonin.

For the municipality of Sabangan, P833,977 livelihood grant  was  awarded   to benefit 46 individuals  while  P494,840  was given  to the Rural Improvement Club of Napua to support  its  oyster mushroom project.

Abalos said  the livelihood grants are under DOLE’s Integrated Livelihood Program or Kabuhayan Program that generally aims to contribute to the government’s agenda of bringing in inclusive growth through provision of livelihood assistance that can also help provide create jobs in the countryside.

DOLE   expedited   the provision of livelihood assistance so it can also help the beneficiaries during this time of COVID pandemic. For the individual beneficiaries, most common projects are sewing, weaving, baking, poultry and hog raising, Abalos said.

The DOLE Kabuhayan program can help beneficiaries start a livelihood undertaking,  enhance an existing family business or   re-establish lost or damaged livelihood project, she added. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR).

END/press release courtesy of Carlito Dar, PIA-Cordillera