“Ginagawa ko po ito para magkaroon ng maayos na pamumuhay ang aking pamilya at maiangat ang sarili.”

These were the words expressed by Liancia Condeno during the recent inauguration of their hog raising project implemented under the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).

Under the SLP, Ms. Condeno and 19 other residents of their barangay – Brgy Sta. Lucia in Nagcarlan, Laguna, were organized to form the Sta Lucia SLP Association.  The association members were oriented and trained on basic business management, simple bookkeeping and on the organizational management principle as promoted by the program. Appropriate skills trainings on hog raising were also provided to them.

The association was awarded a total of Php200,000 capital assistance as startup fund.

 

Building assets

Aside from the training and the startup fund, the association also received assistance in the construction of three pig pens which they will be needing to raise their livestock. A total of Php299,200.00 was received by group for the said construction.  Most of these amount was utilized for the labor of other community residents who had worked under the cash for building livelihood asset (CBLA) scheme of the SLP.

According to Ms. Andrea Tuala, SLP Project Development Officer, the said scheme is an effective strategy in ensuring that other members of the community also benefit from the program, even if they are not part of the SLPA, in a complementary manner

Condeno also expressed confidence that their project will have a positive influence not only to her life, nor to the lives of her co-group members, but even to the lives of the other residents of their community.

“Para po maisakatuparan ang ating hog raising project na ito, kailangan po talaga ng sama-sama determinasyon, sipag at tiyaga ng lahat ng myembro ng ating komunidad,” Condeno stressed.

Mr. Milantie Aceveda, the Project Coordinator in the CALABARZON Region also challenged the members of the SLPA to effectively work together in sustaining their project.

“Nagpapasalamat ako na sama-sama ang pagkilos upang mapatayo ang pig pens. Sana ang proyektong ito ay ma-sustain natin at nang makatulong talaga na mapataas ang kasalukuyang estado ng buhay niyong mga partner-beneficiaries,” he said.

The SLP is a capability-building program of the DSWD that provides suitable income generating opportunities to identified poor, vulnerable and marginalized program participants to help improve their socio-economic well-being through micro-enterprise development or employment facilitation. It is currently being implemented in all municipalities nationwide to help its program beneficiaries have an improved quality of life. with reports from WLAbdullah