The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office Caraga conducted its first leg of payout for the partner beneficiaries of Local Adaptation to Water Access and Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished (LAWA at BINHI) project in Barangay Union and Mahayahay, Lingig, Surigao del Sur, on June 24, 2024.

Project LAWA at BINHI is implemented through the Risk Resiliency Program—Cash for Work and Training. This initiative seeks to address two pressing issues faced by the community: water scarcity and food insecurity.

“Kining bayad [sweldo] nga among madawat gamay ra ni kumpara sa umaabot nga harvest. Ako, uban sa akong mga kaubanan, isaad nako, amua gayud ng palaguon. Salamat gayud sa DSWD ug sa DA nga naghatag tabang sa amua [pinaagi] sa cash ug may paabuton pa sa gayud na harvest [The compensation we are receiving now is small compared to the upcoming harvest. My group and I promise to nurture and grow this opportunity. We are grateful to the DSWD and DA for their support through cash and the harvest that we look forward to]”, Villarin Pislan, Barangay Union partner beneficiary.

423 partner beneficiaries received Php7,400 each, in compensation for their 20 days of work. The pay is calculated based on the regional daily minimum wage rate of 370 pesos.

Present during the payout was Assistant Regional Director for Operations Jean Paul Parajes of DSWD FO Caraga, Governor Alexander Pimentel of Surigao del Sur, as well as representatives from PSWDO, MSWDO, and barangay captains of Barangay Union and Mahayahay.