THE Ministry of Social Services and Development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MSSD-Barmm) has released P2.8-million financial assistance through the Sagip Kabuhayan Program (SKP).
MSSD Minister Raissa Jajurie said the recipients of the SKP's initial payout held Friday are 185 home-based internally displaced persons in Marawi City.
Jajurie said each of the beneficiaries received P15,000. The payout was held through a house-to-house distribution together with the Marawi Rehabilitation Program Steering Committee Chairperson and Deputy Chief Minister Ali Solaiman, along with some BTA members.
Jajurie said the recipients were among the first batch of home-based IDPs from Marawi's most affected area, who are solo parents, separated, and widows, earning P5,000 and below per month. This criteria, however, only applies to the initial batch.
Jajurie said the other home-based IDPs, including out-of-school youth and persons with disabilities, shall be included in the next batches of beneficiaries, which will be validated by the MSSD and the MRP steering committee.
Worth P79 million, Jajurie said the SKP is one of the initial projects of MSSD approved by MRP steering committee in November.
She said the SKP provides seed capital or additional capital to small businesses owned by indigent families whose incomes were heavily affected by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
Barmm has created the SKP under its P500-million funded Marawi Rehabilitation Program (MRP) in its effort to provide socio-economic assistance to Marawi City's home-based IDPs.
The MRP steering committee has targeted over 3,290 beneficiaries for the SKP.
The Lanao del Sur Provincial Social Welfare Office will monitor the beneficiaries to ensure that cash assistance will be utilized properly. (SunStar Zamboanga)