The eight association members of Darumawang Mabuhay SLPA from Barangay Darumawang Ilaya, Municipality of Lala, Lanao del Norte had their Hog Fattening livelihood project officially opened with a simple blessing and ribbon-cutting ceremonies. The said project was funded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 10 under the Sustainable Livelihood Program. Staff from DSWD were also present to commemorate this special moment with the association and their family members.
The members are composed of rice farmers who have been wanting to avail of livelihood assistance from SLP considering they are not part of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. It was only then when the SLP guidelines were revised that allows non-Pantawid families but part of the Listahanan database to qualify for the livelihood assistance. Their application was approved after being assessed to be qualified in receiving seed capital fund from SLP as their additional source of income. The association members chose Hog Fattening as their project because they are already knowledgeable about it aside from farming. The members have business merchants to be their potential buyers.
DSWD continually improves its program designs to ensure that every marginalized, vulnerable, and disadvantaged families are given with welfare service and assistance that would help them become resilient and productive members of the communities.
For Wenchie Pasculado, the association’s Treasurer, she can only say “Dako akong kalipay ug pasalamat nga na-membro ko aning livelihood program. Unta magmalampuson ni among napili nga project. Dako kaayo ni ug matabang para sa future sa among pamilya (I am very happy to be a member of this livelihood program. I hope that it would be a successful one. This would be a big help for our families in the future) “.
All SLP projects are monitored with the project recipients provided with guidance and linkage to partners to ensure sustainability and profitability of their micro-enterprise.
Story and photos contributed by Lanny Lou C. Raras, Provincial Coordinator of Lanao del Norte 2 Cluster