MANILA – In support of the Duterte administration’s objective to end insurgency, the Department of Labor and Employment continues to provide assistance to individuals and marginalized groups in so-called communist infiltrated areas.
Just recently, some PHP3.084 million worth of livelihood assistance was released in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) to help alleviate the living condition of the people in the area.
A member of the Poverty Reduction, Livelihood and Employment Cluster of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC), DOLE extended the assistance to individuals and organizations in the region.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the assistance is part of DOLE’s role in the implementation of the socio-economic development and confidence-building measures to end the local conflict.
DOLE-CAR Regional Director Exequiel Ronnie Guzman said his office released the assistance in the form of grant through the various local government units (LGUs).
Among the approved projects of the beneficiaries include the layer egg production amounting to PHP323,081 in Sitio Dilong in Barangay Tubo in Abra with 51 members; rice mill project with funding of PHP430,234 for the Upper Atok Upland Farmers Association in Barangay Atok, Flora in Apayao with 89 members; and the establishment of a bakery which costs PHP456,360 for the Malaganay-Layugan Organization in Barangay Malayugan in Flora, Apayao with 100 members.
Other projects are the rice wine production worth PHP459,707 of the Amduntog Rice Wine Producers Association of Barangay Amduntog, Asipulo, Ifugao with 52 members; and the purchase of farm implements amounting to PHP489,960 for the Ankileng Rumang-ayan Organization of Barangay Ankileng in Sagada.
The DOLE has also extended over PHP900,000 assistance for the Apatan Farmers Indigenous Association in Barangay Apatan in Pinukpuk, the Tanglag Communication Organization, and Unite for Development of Barangay Tanglag in Lubuagan for the purchase of post-harvest facilities.
Meanwhile, the individual recipient in Barangay Dupag in Lubuagan will undertake a Duck Raising Project with PHP20,000 funding support.
Guzman said the success and sustainability of the livelihood projects, depends on the support and cooperation of the beneficiaries, while DOLE will closely monitor the implementation of the projects within a period of one year. (PR)
