109 Livelihood grantees receive cash aid

Livelihood Assistance Grant (LAG) and Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) beneficiaries numbering a hundred and nine (109) eligible persons with disabilities (PWD), solo parents and senior citizens received cash assistance from personnel of the City Social Welfare and Development Office, last Monday at the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO).

The disbursement is part of the P3M requested by Mayor Benjamin Magalong from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for vulnerable persons or displaced vendors affected by Covid-19 needing immediate economic support.

According to CSWDO head Liza Bulayungan, a total of Two Hundred and Seventy-Five clients were recommended, with Two Hundred approved, and the hundred and nine (109) as first batch. The rest, Ninety-One (91), would be given the same amount of Fifteen Thousand Pesos (P15,000) each once they have complied with the documentary requirements.                

Prior to the cash-out, a basic bookkeeping lecture was given by Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) specialist Peter Allidem to the beneficiaries, as their businesses are mostly on micro-enterprise: buy and sell – eggs, fruits and vegetables, rice; while others have started on massage, laundry, frozen food processing, and water delivery businesses.

Bulayungan clarified that an earlier financial assistance requested from the DSWD national office last year was insufficient as the beneficiaries were impacted by the prolonged effects of the pandemic, thus the P3M tranche.

A city-funded LAG and SLP worth P5M is expected in the next few days, Bulayungan intimated. – JGF