DSWD's livelihood program benefited 3.3 million Filipinos since 2011
The Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) has helped approximately 3.3 million people by offering employment assistance and capital seed funds for microenterprises since its launch in 2011.
DSWD Assistant Secretary for Specialized Programs under the Operations Group and concurrent SLP officer-in-charge Florentino Loyola Jr. said the SLP “aims to improve the socio-economic conditions of our countrymen, especially those in the vulnerable and marginalized sector.”
“Aside from the regular program, the SLP also responded to different incidents in the country, such as the Marawi siege, Boracay closure, and the imposition of rice price caps in 2023,” he said.
Loyola added that the SLP is on track to meet its goal of assisting families and individuals affected by economic shocks, as well as providing opportunities for those who want to work and start their own entrepreneurial projects.
It is being implemented through a two-track program: the Microenterprise Development Track (MDT), which helps microenterprises become organizationally and economically viable, and the Employment Facilitation Track (EFT), which helps participants find suitable employment opportunities.
How to become a beneficiary
Beneficiaries of the first track should be at least 16 years old, while those of the second track should be at least 18.
Those who qualify for the MDT receive P15,000 in capital assistance, while members of an association receive P20,000 each.
Under the EFT, first-time job seekers are given P5,000 to prepare their applications and cover transportation and other expenses.
Interested applicants can contact their local city or municipal coordinators for information on the SLP application process.
“For you to be included in the SLP, you need to be part of the Listahanan database or you are a 4Ps beneficiary. However, if you do not belong to any of the two but you are poor, the SLP will conduct the ‘means test’ to check if you are qualified,” Loyola said.