205 Antiquenos avail financial, livelihood assistance from DSWD

A total of 205 Antiquenos availed the financial and livelihood assistance worth Php 475,000.00 released by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VI during the Integrated Sustainable Assistance Recovery and Advancement Program (ISARAP) Convergence Service Caravan at the EBJ Gymnasium, Binirayan San Jose de Buenavista, Antique today.

Of the number, five beneficiaries availed the livelihood cash assistance of Php 15,000.00 each or a total of Php 75,000.00 under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) while 200 beneficiaries also received their financial aid of Php 2,000 each or a total of Php 400,000.00 under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).

DSWD Assistant Secretary Rodolfo M. Encabo of the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG), and Regional Director Ma. Evelyn B. Macapobre, CESO III personally turned over the cash assistance during the ceremonial turnover this morning.

As a guest speaker of the event, Asec. Encabo highlights the directive of the President Rodrigo Duterte to bring closer to the people all the services of the government with compassion through immediate response.

“Magbibigay kami ng cash assistance na Php 15,000.00 para kayo magsimula at capital sa inyong negosyo. Huwag mag atubiling lumapit, kausapin, magtanong at ano man ang benepisyo na inyong matanggap, gamitin ninyo para sa inyong mga pamilya at sa komunidad. Ang pagtipon-tipon ngayon ay isa itong tagumpay sa ibat-ibang ahensya ng pamahalaan. Importante maparating sa inyo ang serbisyo caravan sa ating kababayan at ito ay simbolo ng pag-kakaisa,” he said.

He also said that, “Ito rin ang pagbibigay pugay din sa mga kasama kong government employees at officials at mga kasamahang staff na nandiyan nagserbisyo sa inyo. The directive of the President Duterte is clear, is to bring closer all the services of the government sa mabilis at may malasakit na estratehiya,” he said.

Meanwhile, the livelihood assistance will be used by the beneficiaries as their start-up capital for the sari-sari store, food vending, and hog raising.

SLP beneficiary Adelaida Centino, 62, of Brgy. Igbalangao, Bugasong, Antique said she will use the assistance for additional capital to buy groceries and sacks of rice for her small sari-sari store.

Adelaida, also a Social Pensioner, is grateful for this opportunity that the Department has given her to start again her small business that was closed for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On her part, Genevive Villacora of Brgy. Ilaures, Bugasong, Antique also thanks to the DSWD for the immediate response to her livelihood request. She said onset of the pandemic, he put up a small sari-sari store where they could have an income to sustain their daily needs.
“Daku gid ang mabulig sang sini nga kwarta sa akon business lalo na wala obra akon husband (The money is a big help to my business especially that my husband has no work),” she ended.