Mt Province folks given P4.6M for projects

By Juliet B. Saley

BONTOC, Mountain Province – The Department of Social Welfare and Development released P4,629,500 from its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP)for livelihood projects of some 512 4Ps beneficiaries in the  province.

This is to alleviate living condition of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries to become self-sufficient, said Jessie Chilem of the Social Welfare and Development team office here.

He added P2,652,500.00 of the total amount was released to some 310 families of the first set of 4Ps  implemented in the municipalities of  Natonin, Paracelis and Sadanga.

The amount of  P157,000.00 was released to 20 families  of the PantawidPamilya set 3 grantees  in Besao; P700,000.00 to 70 families of the PantawidPamilya set 4 grantees in Barlig and P650,000.00 to 65 families in Sabangan and P470,000.00 to 47 families in Bontoc, both  set 5 of the 4Ps  grantees.

Chilem said these beneficiaries have organized themselves into associations under the  Self-Employment Assistance sa Kaunlaran (SEA-K) program, a requirement for them to avail of the financial assistance.

The funds would be used for livelihood activities that would sustain beneficiaries’ iincome even after the culmination of the five-year program.

Under this livelihood program, beneficiaries are allowed to get loans ranging from P5,000.00 to P10,000.00 for their livelihood projects.

The loan which is interest-free and non- collateral is payable in two years, Chilem said.

Families engaged in different types of livelihood projects such as hog fattening, buy and sell, sari-sari store, and food processing, among others.

There are also 185 Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries organized in the municipality of Natonin with a total proposed loan amount of P1,600,000.00; 195 beneficiaries in Paracelis with a total proposed loan of  P2,106,000.00; and 79 in Sadanga with a total proposed loan amount of P648,000.00.

Chilem said the organization of  4Ps beneficiaries to SKGs/SKAs is concentrated in the municipalities of Natonin, Paracelis and Sadanga since Pantawid Pamilya program in these areas will end on December 2013.

He said the organization of 4Ps beneficiaries in these areas does not necessarily mean that they will all be given funds but they could be provided trainings on livelihood that could help them become self-reliant.

Aside from the 4Ps beneficiaries, the SEA-K program has also benefitted a total of 1,950 non 4Ps families in the province since 1994 up to 2011.

Total amount of P9,211,000.00 was loaned to 1,950 beneficiaries.