CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Some 111 distressed OFW-returnees from different parts of Central Luzon are now budding entrepreneurs aided by P1,100,000 livelihood assistance from the National Center for Reintegration for OFWs (NRCO).
The livelihood provision was facilitated through the Department of Labor and Employment’s (Dole) Assist-WELL Center, housed at the Dole regional office in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga.
Dole Regional Director Ana Dione reported to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III that the provision of livelihood assistance was accomplished during the 1st semester of this year.
“We are privileged to be part of our returning OFWs’ road their second chance in life as they continue pursuing their dreams even if things did not go too well in their tour of duty abroad. Through our intervention, we are hopeful that they will turn their livelihood projects into sustainable sources of income that will benefit their families and communities,” Dione said.
“I have tasked our NRCO Regional Coordinator, Freya Palad, to do the necessary profiling of our affected workers and identify what type of livelihood intervention we could provide them,” she added.
The livelihood assistance was sourced from the NRCO’s Livelihood Development Assistance Program (LDAP) and Balik Pinay! Balik Hanapbuhay! Program (BPBH).
Beneficiaries each received a livelihood assistance amounting to P10,000 in form of start-up businesses on rice-trading, sari-sari store, carinderia, E-load and printing, and parlor services, among others.
Aside from this, all beneficiaries had undergone an Entrepreneurship Development Training (EDT), to ensure the proper management and sustainability of their livelihood projects.
All beneficiaries, despite having odd experiences working abroad, expressed their gratitude to the Dole and NRCO and assured their commitment to sustain and transform their livelihood projects to formidable businesses.
Dione said the LDAP and BPBH are livelihood flagship programs under the NRCO Livelihood Assistance Program intended for individual livelihood projects returning OFW beneficiaries.
“Our interventions are geared towards improving the socio-economic well-being of our returning OFWs. It is a strategy to reduce their socio-economic vulnerability by helping them start-up their individual micro-business, expanding their business, or collective enterprise undertakings,” Dione explained.
The Dole Assist-WELL Center, on the other hand, was established under rules covered in Department Order No. 139-14 series of 2014 otherwise known as the “Assist WELL” Program.
The Assist WELL Program, which stands for Welfare, Employment, Legal, and Livelihood, is a package of reintegration assistance or services for repatriated or returning OFWs.
Interested parties may inquire about these programs with Labor and Employment Officer Freya Palad, NRCO Coordinator for Central Luzon with telephone number (045) 455-1617 or email at ro3.nrco@gmail.com. (PR)