A total of 246 residents from the first and second districts of Valenzuela City received livelihood assistance grant under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The distribution was held at the Allied Local Emergency Response Teams (ALERT) Multi-purpose Hall in Barangay Malinta on Wednesday, Sept. 21.
The livelihood assistance grant is one of the rehabilitation and recovery efforts of the national government to eligible individuals/beneficiaries who want to establish a livelihood project or with already existing micro-enterprises and small businesses but are short of capital or their capital was depleted while battling the Covid-19 pandemic, the local government said.
Up to P15,000 financial support were given to the beneficiaries under the program which will serve as their seed capital.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) thoroughly selected and validated the beneficiaries who underwent a series of assessments.
“Isa lang po ang pakiusap ko sa inyo, gamitin nang maayos . Huwag nating sayangin. Gamitin ninyo para sa inyong kabuhayan, pang araw-araw. Limitado lang ang ating pondo kaya sana magamit nang maayos.”(My only request is for you to use it properly. Let's not waste it. Use it for your livelihood, for every day. Our funds are limited so hopefully it will be used well),” CSWDO Head Ms. Dorothy Go Evangelista appealed to the beneficiaries.
Representatives from the office of Senator Bong Go also attended the event to share more information about the Malasakit Centers Act.
They said that indigent and financially incapacitated patients can apply and request for medical and financial assistance through the Malasakit Centers established within the premises of around 150 government hospitals in the country.
They also prepared snacks and raffle prizes for the beneficiaries where some residents were able to take home a bicycle, cellphone, and rubber shoes, among others.
The SLP aims to provide services to strengthen or provide the ability, skills, and experience of an individual in earning a living and doing business, the city government said.
It promotes increasing the standard of living of Filipinos by providing training, equipment, and capital to start a business, it added.