The Bag-ong Paglaum Butuan Livelihood Association (BPABLIA) of Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, and Cabugan Informal Settlers Sustainable Livelihood Program Association of Tandag City, Surigao del Sur received livelihood grants from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office Caraga, through the Sustainable Livelihood Program, September 19 and 21, 2022, respectively.

Each organization acquired an amount of Php420,000 which they will use to fund their proposed livelihood activities. As for their livelihoods, BPABLIA opted to establish a wholesale store, while the Cabigan Informal Settlers SLPA decided to start a rice trading project in their community.

Aside from the grants, the organizations also received their certification as Civil Society Organizations from the Department.

The said associations were endorsed by the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) through the Zero Hunger Program Convergence Budgeting Project – a new special project implemented under the DSWD-SLP.

BPABLIA President Marlyn B. Mahinay expressed her gratitude to the DSWD and PCUP for providing them with an opportunity to improve their living condition through the provision of a livelihood project.

“Dako kaayo akong pasalamat kay kami ang napili nga mahimong resipyente sa livelihood grant. Amo gayod paningkamutan nga mulambo ang among negosyo kay aron dili masayang ang kwarta ug pagsalig nga gihatag sa amoa (I’m grateful because we were chosen as the recipient of this livelihood grant. We will work hard for our business to prosper and so that the grant and trust entrusted to us will not go to waste).”

DSWD-SLP’s Zero Hunger Program Convergence Budgeting Project is a special poverty reduction project that aims to mitigate hunger and help people’s organizations and their families to improve by providing them with livelihood opportunities that will capacitate them. (Social Marketing Section/DSWD Field Office Caraga)