THE Regional Development Council (RDC) will be intensifying economic and social programs in the region.
RDC-Davao vice chair Maria Lourdes D. Lim, during a briefing on the economic status of the region recently, said there are three continuing economic and social programs which are to be intensified in 2015.
These are the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (Setup) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST); Dole Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (Dileep) of the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole); and the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
"For micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) support and development, the DOST-Davao will scale up its Setup which aims to encourage and assist MSME to adopt technological innovation to improve products and services and thereby increase productivity and competitiveness," Lim, who is also the regional director of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda)-Davao, said.
For this year, DOST-Davao has allotted some P40 million for the implementation of Setup in the region. They are targeting to support 30 MSMEs through the project this year.
"Another intensified program is the Dileep, wherein it will provide among others, capacity-building projects for livelihood will be provided for the poor and vulnerable workers, emergency employment for calamity-displaced workers, and provision of capital start-up for setting up small businesses," Lim said.
Dole has allocated some P76.97 million for Dileep this year. The program has two components, the Integrated Livelihood Program or the Kabuhayan Program and the Emergency Employment Program or the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged or Displaced Workers (Tupad) Program.
Some P68.97 million will go to the Kabuhayan Program while P8 million for the Tupad Program. The agency is targeting to support some 4,200 beneficiaries this year through the program.
"Relatedly, the DSWD will also strengthen its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) for 2015, targeting more than 21,000 beneficiaries. The SLP for this year will sharpen its focus on developing the necessary skills of jobseekers to land them in better quality and better paying jobs," Lim said.