P2.75M allotted for IN 4Ps self-employment program

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff Reporter

Aside from the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program benefiting at least 18, 630 beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the Department of Social Welfare is also giving financial assistance for livelihood projects to help alleviate the living conditions of these beneficiaries.

In Ilocos Norte, the DSWD has approved about P2.75 million for qualified beneficiaries this year.

Fely Sales, provincial coordinator of the Self Employment Assistance Program said the provincial social welfare office is now currently assessing those who may qualify for the financial assistance.

Earlier, a dialogue was conducted by the DSWD and the 4Ps beneficiaries to present the mechanics of the program.

The sustainable livelihood program is part of DSWD’s convergence program for poverty reduction which provides entrepreneurial capacity building for all 4Ps beneficiaries.  It offers two tracks of assistance, Micro-enterprise: Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K) and employment facilitation.

The SEA-K is a community-based credit assistance program utilizing people’s organization that specifically targets the low-income communities or barangays in depressed municipalities/cities. It enables the 4Ps beneficiaries to establish and manage their own micro-enterprises through an entrepreneurial skills training program that include provision of non-collateral and interest free loan as seed capital.