4Ps grantees get P18.5-M seed capital

A TOTAL of P18,523,000 seed capital from the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has been released to 3,435 Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino beneficiaries (4Ps) in Lanao del Norte recently.

These beneficiaries come from 181 Self-Employment Assistance sa Kaunlaran Areas (SKAs) in the province organized by Project Development Officers of SLP, in coordination with Pantawid Pamilya field workers under the Convergence strategy of the three core social protection programs of the agency.

Atty. Araceli F. Solamillo, DSWD Field Office Regional Director, said under the SLP, beneficiaries are allowed to get a loan ranging from P5,000 to P10,00 for their livelihood projects, which they themselves choose.

Solamillo said these loans, which are community-based that do not bear any interest and do not need any collateral, are payable in one year so that others can also borrow under the same set of arrangements.

In Kapatagan town, the 57 SKAs with 1,035 members received P5,772,000 while the 41 SKAs with 865 members in Lala has granted P4,442,000.

The Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries of the interior municipalities Nunungan, Salvador and Sapad received P400,000; P1,330,000 and P875,000 respectively.

Meanwhile, Sultan Naga Dimaporo town beneficiaries with 50 SKAs get P5,704,000 as seed capital loan.

These beneficiaries, according to their project proposal, will be engaging in different types of livelihood projects such as handicraft making, hog fattening, cooking, buy-and-sell, among others.

The SKA members are all Pantawid Pamilya Set 1 grantees.

Solamillo said aside from the 4P beneficiaries, qualified to borrow are those who are listed in the National Housing Targeting System (NHTS).

To ensure the success of the SLP, a five-component program that starts with a partnership-building with the community, local government units have been developed by DSWD.

Included in the process is the social preparation involving a Participatory Livelihood Issue Analysis and Value Chain Analysis, as well as Financial Literacy and Self-Awareness for the beneficiaries.

Capacity-Building, including a Business Development Service and three-five days trainings for the beneficiaries follow, after which the funding for the Micro Finance Institutions comes about.

For sustainability of the program, the DSWD extends technical assistance and equips the beneficiaries with a management tool which the beneficiaries themselves implement. (DSWD/PR)