Around 120 beneficiaries from Lipa City, Batangas Province begin their livelihood projects upon completion of the skills training provided by the Kahariam Farms under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Of the said number, 40 beneficiaries were trained on goat raising, 31 on swine raising, 20 on organic vegetable production and 38 on chicken and brown egg production.

These beneficiaries are all members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program households and are among the priority participants being catered by the SLP, another core social protection program of the DSWD that capacitates the beneficiaries in contributing to labor markets through micro-enterprise development and employment facilitation.

Last February 17, these beneficiaries received their starter kits provided by the program to help them start with their livelihood projects. Starter kits include goats, piglets and organic feeds, and gardening tools, fertilizers and seeds. These are provided to each beneficiary depending on the skills training they have completed.

This project amounted to a total of PhP2.31 Million, which covered the cost of training and the starter kits provided to each beneficiary.

According to Milantie Aceveda, Regional Program Coordinator of the SLP in DSWD Field Office IV-A, the beneficiaries must use the new skills and the starter kits to help improve the living condition of their respective families.

“Kayo po ay tinutulungan ng gobyerno para palakasin ang inyong kakayahan sa pamamagitan ng SLP at binibigyan kayo ng mga oportunidad na pagyamanin ang mga ito. Ang tulong na ito ay inyong gamitin para magtagumpay ang inyong mga pamilya,” said Aceveda in his message to the beneficiaries.

Narcisa Grave, a beneficiary from Brgy. Mabini, shared her gratitude to the new skills provided to her by the program. She has completed the goat raising training and has received two goats to start a new income-generating opportunity.

“Palalaguin ko at iingatan ang natanggap naming tulong na ito. Malaking tulong ito para sa aking mga anak,” Grave, a single parent, shared.

Cristita Genio, another beneficiary from Brgy. Mabini, completed the organic vegetable production training and received a starter kit including seeds, organic fertilizers and gardening tools.

“Isang malaking oportunidad ang training na ito para makatulong ako sa aming pamilya. Gagamitin ko ito para mas masuportahan ko ang pangangailangan ng aking mga anak,” said Genio.

Besides the said number of beneficiaries who completed skills training and received starter kits, the Kahariam Farms has also been training Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries from other cities / municipalities in Batangas Province since October 2015. The Kahariam Farms entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the DSWD for the provision of livelihood skills training particularly to the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilya program.

The SLP is implemented alongside Pantawid Pamilya to provide beneficiaries with opportunities to gain sustainable livelihood so they can stand on their own and support their respective families even when they no longer are supported by the Pantawid Pamilya program.#