Bontoc self-employed; folks with low pay aided

By Alpine L. Killa-Malwagay

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Ten individuals were beneficiaries of the Dept. of Labor and Employment Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) or Kabuhayan program.
    Bontoc Mayor Jerome "Chagsen" Tudlong, Jr., Senior Employment Labor Officer Marshall Pachingel of DOLE  provincial office and Employment Officer Jenelyn Caluza of the Bontoc local government led turnover of Kabuhayan kits to recipients on May 22 at the municipal capitol. 
    Among approved livelihood project proposals were food processing, food vending, hog raising, and sari-sari store.
    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 urged recipients to manage their livelihood projects wisely for these to prosper.
    He added failure and success of their livelihood projects depended on how they will manage it.
    He advised them to capacitate themselves through trainings for these to be sustained. 
    He said the Bontoc LGU will strengthen its collaboration and linkages to partner agencies for more livelihood opportunities. 
    Caluza said as counterpart, the Bontoc LGU shall conduct monitoring of implementation of the project. Also, it provided technical assistance during the preparation of the project proposals. 

Meanwhile, the Bontoc LGU is processing project proposals of fire victims of the April 11 fire incident here to avail of the Kabuhayan Program. 

The Kabuhayan Program is a grant assistance for capacity-building 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.

Bontoc LGU, as an ACP of DOLE received the financial grant allotted for recipients and shall be responsible for procurement and delivery of equipment, materials, products, tools, and other needs of the beneficiaries for their respective livelihood projects.