DSWD releases livelihood assistance to former rebels, conflict-vulnerable associations

Posted on December 9, 2021

DSWD Field Office Caraga OIC-Regional Director Ramel F. Jamen hands over PHP 20,000 as Livelihood Settlement Grant to a former rebel during the Sustainable Livelihood Program Check Turnover and Livelihood Settlement Grant Release on December 7 at the Capitol Ground, Butuan City, Agusan del Norte.

BUTUAN CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office Caraga released livelihood assistance in the forms of cash and check to 94 former rebels (FRs) and 15 conflict-vulnerable areas (CVA) associations from the different municipalities in Agusan del Norte on December 8, 2021.

Each FR received the Livelihood Settlement Grant amounting to PHP20,000 and per CVA association accepted a checksumming to PHP300,000. The said assistance will be used by the recipients as seed capital to fund the livelihood projects they have proposed.

The provision of livelihood assistance to the FRs and CVAs is part of the implementation of Executive Order 70, series of 2019, or the national government’s campaign to promote peace and order in the country.

*A group of former rebels huddle around a DSWD-SLP staff as their names and information are verified.*

In his message to the recipients, Agusan del Norte Governor Dale Corvera expressed his gratitude to the national government under the leadership of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte for their effort to resolve the country’s problem of insurgency.

“I am grateful that we have the national government who looks after the needs and welfare of the former rebels and residents located in conflict-vulnerable areas. Our government has manifested that this sector should also be given equal importance. I am hoping that our recipients will wisely make use of the assistance they have received to improve their lives,” Corvera said.

OIC-Regional Director Ramel Jamen also delivered a message to the program participants and emphasized the importance of working hard to give their families a better life. “We at the DSWD are hoping and believing that you will persevere to ensure that there is growth and progress in your livelihoods.”

After the provision of livelihood assistance, the DSWD-SLP field staff and local government units through their city/municipal social welfare and development offices will conduct a monitoring activity to guarantee that the recipients were able to set up their proposed livelihood projects and provide technical assistance should it be needed.

Aside from the distribution of assistance to FRs and CVAs, the DSWD-SLP also distributed livelihood assistance to 20 individuals that have been catered through the program’s livelihood referral funding.# (Social Marketing Section/DSWD Field Office Caraga)