Central Luzon PWDs get livelihood aid

CLARK FREEPORT -- An attached agency of the Department of Labor and Employment recently extended livelihood assistance to persons with disability (PWDs) from Central Luzon.

Through its "Katulong at Gabay sa Manggagawang may Kapansanan (KaGabay) Program," the Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) listed 49 PWD-beneficiaries from Central Luzon and Davao.

KaGabay is a special assistance program for PWDs who lost employment due to work-related sickness or injury.

The program is intended to facilitate the integration of PWDs into the economic mainstream through physical restoration, training for re-employment, or entrepreneurship.

ECC Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis said that KaGabay program, PWD-beneficiaries are given the opportunities for sustainable livelihood despite their physical or occupational limitations, especially in these trying times.

“This year, we continue to strengthen our services as we provide more livelihood opportunities to our PWDs in our mission to assist them in their return to the economic mainstream and their desire to gain new competencies. We will strive harder in promoting their welfare and ensure their gainful employment and success as entrepreneurs,” Zipagan-Banawis said.

Of the 49 beneficiaries, 32 came from Central Luzon while 17 PWDs were from Davao. The beneficiaries received P20,000 worth of livelihood package each.

On top of the assistance, the PWDs have been provided with other ECC benefits, such as sickness, disability benefits, medical reimbursements, cash assistance of P10,000, free physical and occupational therapy and free skill or entrepreneurial training.

To encourage the grantees in expanding their livelihood enterprises, the ECC can further provide the recipients with P10,000 as a complementary livelihood grant after one year.

A beneficiary, Israel Cortez, a former machine operator in a manufacturing company, said he utilized the livelihood grant from ECC to establish his sari-sari store and he hopes to expand it as a mini grocery in the coming months.

“Nais ko pong ipaabot ang taos pusong pasasalamat ko sa inyong pinagkaloob. Isang malaking bagay para sa akin at sa aking pamilya ang kabuhayan na ito. Dahil dito, makakapagsimula po kami ng maliit na negosyo at sisikapin namin itong mapalago,” he said.