Marabut, Western Samar, July 18, 2014 — The DSWD Field Office Eight, through Assistant Regional Director for Operations (ARDO) Resty Macuto, recently awarded a 500 thousand peso long term livelihood grant for the purchase of ten motorized bancas as a response to the needs of some Typhoon Yolanda survivors of Barangay Tinabanan of this town. Marabut Mayor Atty. Percival Ortillo was also present to witness the event.
Beneficiaries Jonas Orillo, Gerardo Cornelio, Henry Dejilla, Raymon Troyo, Dodong Naraja, Cesario Andres, Ramil Torbeles, Elias Ortillo, Gerardo Paco, and Benedicto Toton, all members of the Yoling Pump boat Association, thanked DSWD RO8 for all the help that the agency has given, most especially the pump boats. According to them, the motorized banca is the one thing that every fisherman hopes to have.
In an agreement signed by the ten fishermen, they promised to use their grants to procure motorized bancas, (one for each of them), complete with fishing facilities. They vowed not to do illegal fishing; to set aside fifty pesos a day for savings and to prioritize selling fish, crabs and other marine products to other Self Employment Assistance – Kaunlaran (SEA-K) members within and in nearby barangays. The group also sworn that they will not sell, pawn or use their motorized bancas as collateral for loans, among others.
Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer (MSWDO) Teresita Sabulao and Project Development Officer Benjie Pelen explained that the following were the criteria for choosing the beneficiaries, thus: a.) The beneficiary’s house and fishing gears should have been totally damaged, b.) He should be indigent c.) He has no other livelihood other than fishing d.) He should be interested to receive the grant, as there were many other boat donations by other Non-Government Offices (NGOs), International Non-Government Offices (INGOs), and Government Agencies(GAs), e.g. ABS-CBN, Diocese of Calbayog, OxFam, DOLE, BFAR, to name a few.
Says beneficiary Elias Ortillo, a 57 year old fisherman for 30 years, “Damo nga salamat nga nabiyayaan ako hini nga hatag han gobyerno. Kaya ko ang pagbabago dahil sa malaking tulong at suporta ng gobyerno sa akin at sa aking pamilya. Kaya kong tumayo, at gagawin ko ang lahat para sa ikabubuti ng pamilya ko, ng komunidad at ng bayan.” (“I am grateful that I have been blessed thru this grant that the government has given me. I can make a change because of the big help and support that the government has given me and my family. I can stand, and I will do everything for the good of my family, my community and country.”)
Four of the fishermen are residents of Bgy. Tinabanan, two are from Bgy. Amantillo, two from Bgy. Ferreras, while the other 2 come from Bgys. Pinalangga and Sto. Nino.
DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program Regional Project Coordinator Mangalao explained DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program targets to serve 18% of Region 8’s populace whose homes have been totally damaged by Yolanda based on December 2013 reports. The remaining 82% has been divided among other GAs, NGOs, INGOs and other groups.
Mayor Ortillo expressed his thanks and said, “There is so much help that have arrived from all sources. In fact, today, I am scheduled to meet the Kalahi-CIDDS people for their National Community-Driven Development Program (NCDDP) orientation and the UNICEF for early childhood education, protection and health. It would be difficult for donors not to pass through the LGUs if they would like to give fairly.”
KALAHI CIDSS-NCDDP, otherwise known as the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services-National Community-Driven Development Program, is one of the poverty alleviation programs of the Philippine Government being implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). It was approved on 18 January 2013 by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Board, which was headed by President Benigno Aquino III (http://ncddp.dswd.gov.ph/site/page/1)
The Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) is a community-based capacity building program that seeks to improve the program participants’ socio-economic status. Its main objective is to improve the socio-economic capacity of the poor to enhance access to basic social services and improve their standard of living