Those street or sidewalk vendors who are most affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic  can count on the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), as the agency vowed Sunday, Feb. 7,  to strengthen the implementation of its  Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) to benefit the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized communities.

“Ang DSWD katulong ng lokal na pamahalaan ay nakahandang tumulong sa mga mahihirap at bulnerableng sektor ng ating lipunan, kasama na po nga dyan ang ating mga street or sidewalk vendors (The DSWD, in partnership with the local government is ready to help the poor and vulnerable sector of the society, including the street or sidewalk vendors),” DSWD Spokesperson Irene Dumlao told DZBB in an interview. 

She made the assurance amid the supposed increasing number of vendors seen selling their goods and  products on the streets in Metro Manila. 

Dumlao described the SLP as a capacity-building program that helps the beneficiaries acquire the “necessary assets” so that they can start or maintain their sustainable livelihood activities, and help improve their socio-economic well-being. 

Under the SLP, she explained that the beneficiaries are given the option to take either the micro-enterprise development track, or the employment facilitation track.

She said the micro-enterprise development track provides seed capital assitance to the recipients to continue or expand their business or microenterprise. 

While,  employment facilitation track is aimed at preparing and  assisting Filipinos to access appropriate employment opportunities.

She said the program seeks to capacitate the beneficiaries "so that they could determine which track to choose and ensure the continuity of their sustainable livelihood activities." 

Last year, the DSWD provided livelihood support amounting to more than P1.4 billion to 7,778 families through the various modalities of the SLP.