DOLE Bicol’s livelihood program reaches grassroots in rural Camarines Sur

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Source: Philippine Information Agency

Legazpi City — Residents of Presentacion town, a rural municipality in the Partido Area of the province of Camarines Sur, expressed delight after learning that the livelihood program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Bicol is “accessible” and “easy to avail”.

This was after the conduct of the three-day Information and Services Caravan spearheaded by the Regional Development Council-Regional Information and Advocacy Committee (RDC-RIAC) last May 27-29, in which DOLE, with its 11-attached agencies, is an active member.

“It is noteworthy that the residents have acknowledged our presence and are very much willing to avail our services”, DOLE Bicol Regional Director and Regional Coordinating Committee (DOLE RCC)Chairman Nathaniel V. Lacambra said.

In said caravan, the DOLE team was composed of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Technical Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the DOLE proper. OWWA carried out its Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) services while TESDA distributed tools for its Kasanayan Program. DOLE on the other hand, bannered its employment and livelihood programs and coached 187 residents from 6 barangays, on how to access these programs.

“We are happy that such government program exists and within our reach (Naoogma po kami na may arog kaan na programa ang gobyerno ang DOLE na madali ming aprobetsaran)”, one of the residents said.

The DOLE Caravan Team reported that in its conduct of 15-batches of livelihood orientation, residents voiced out that there would be no need to obtain capital from loan sharks with interest rates ranging from 8 percent to 10 percent per month.

“Dae na po kame kaipuhan mangutang sa 5-6 (With this, we don’t need the loan sharks for capital)”, a resident refusing to be named said.

The livelihood program including the ₱.5M Bottom up Budgeting (BuB)Fund allotted to LGU Presentacion, the DOLE Caravan Team explained, is free and can be availed of by any qualified beneficiary. However, interested applicants must submit all the documentary requirements including a simple business plan. Due to the distance of LGU Presentacion, the forms needed for said livelihood program were forwarded to the Public Employment Services Office (PESO) and was distributed last 5 June 2015 on a first come first served basis to the 187 residents who attended the orientation.

“I’ve instructed the team that their orientation should not only focus on how to avail of the livelihood program and start a business. We must also be assured that the business undertaking of our beneficiaries will be sustainable,” DOLE Bicol Assistant Regional Director Atty. Ma. Karina Perida Trayvilla said.

As of press time, the DOLE Camarines Sur Provincial Office (PFO Cam Sur) is waiting for the submission of the documentary requirements from PESO Presentacion for the release of the DOLE Kabuhayan Starter Kits (DKSK) under the BuB program of the office.