MINIMUM WAGE EARNERS; SELF-EMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS RECEIVE LIVELIHOOD ASSISTANCE

May 27, 2023 Provincial

Bontoc, Mountain Province

Ten individuals are recent beneficiaries of the Department of Labor and Employment Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) or Kabuhayan Program. Bontoc Mayor Jerome “Chagsen” Tudlong, Jr., Senior Employment Labor Officer Marshall Pachingel of DOLEProvincial Office, and Employment Officer III Jenelyn Caluza of the Bontoc Local Government Unit (LGU) led the turnover of Kabuhayan kits to the recipients on May 22, 2023, at the Bontoc Municipal Capitol.

Among the livelihood project proposals that were approved are food processing, food vending, hog raising, and sari-sari store. Mayor Tudlong expressed his gratitude to the DOLE for continuously assisting various organizations, self-employed, seasonal workers, and minimum wage earners in Bontoc and capacitating them to generate income. The mayor likewise encouraged the recipients to
manage their livelihood projects wisely for it to prosper.

He added that the failure and success of their livelihood projects depend on how they will manage it, thus, he advised them to capacitate themselves through various training for it to be sustained.
He assured that the Bontoc LGU shall continue to strengthen its collaboration and linkages to partner agencies for more livelihood opportunities. This forms part of his administration roadmap which he la“Enlangakha: Achieving the Vision for a dynamic Bontoc”.

One of its four pillars is Economic Empowerment. Caluza mentioned that as its counterpart, the Bontoc LGU shall conduct monitoring of the implementation of the project. Also, it provided technical assistance during the preparation of the project proposals. Meanwhile, the Bontoc LGU is processing the project proposals of the fire victims of the April 11, 2023 fire incident to avail of the Kabuhayan Program.

The Kabuhayan Program is a grant assistance for capacitybuilding on livelihood to enable the unemployed, seasonal, and minimum wage earners to start livelihood undertakings or income-generating projects (IGPs) and enable existing IGPs to grow into viable and sustainable businesses that provide income. It is implemented through DOLE’s Accredited Co-Partner (ACP) which is responsible for the delivery of services to the beneficiaries. Thus, the Bontoc LGU as an ACP of DOLE received the financial grant allotted to the recipients and shall be responsible for the
procurement and delivery of equipment, materials, products, tools, and other needs of the beneficiaries for their respective livelihood projects.

Alpine L. Killa-Malwagay, Bontoc LGU