At least 4,890 Dabawenyos will benefit from the P48.9 million Livelihood Assistance Grant (LAG) for the last batch of payout spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) – through the City Social Welfare Development Office (CSWDO), that began on Monday, September 5, 2022.
The aid is sourced from the Office of the President and DSWD’s budget, made possible through former President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s Republic Act 11469, also known as the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act of 2020.
CSWDO livelihood program focal person Astred Cajes, during the Serbisyo Dabawenyo program of the 87.5 Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) aired on Monday, September 5, said a ceremonial payout is scheduled on Tuesday, September 6, at the People’s Park.
She said that 390 households will benefit from LAG in the first congressional district, 3,000 in the second district, and 1,500 in the third district. Each recipient family will receive a P10,000 cash grant.
CSWDO came out with a master list from the list submitted to the office by barangay social workers, prioritizing indigent families whose sources of income were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Ang LAG is a financial assistance ginahatag sa mga eligible families diin ilang livelihood naapektahan during the implementation of quarantine due to the pandemic (LAG is a financial assistance given to eligible families whose livelihood were affected during the implementation of the quarantine due to the pandemic),” Cajes said.
She said that only first district household beneficiaries are fewer this year since the district already had the highest number of recipients in 2021.
Cajes also said that the 2022 allocation is originally intended for the second and third districts but some flood victims residing along the riverside (Maa, Talomo, and Bankerohan) last year and other disaster victims were not able to receive the assistance so they have been included in this year’s list.
CSWDO distributed the P104,108,862 livelihood aid to 8,177 beneficiaries in 2021 – 4,376 beneficiaries in District 1; 2,249 recipients in District 2; and 1,552 in District 3.
DSWD Region 11 project development officer II Melissa A. Eulatic said 30 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) were among this year’s LAG recipients in Davao City.
Eulatic said, “Kini sila aduna’y negosyo sulod sa institusyon. Tagaan sila’g chance pagpalambo sa ilang kaugalingon (The PDLs have small businesses inside the jail. We’re giving them a chance to improve their lives) not only for themselves but also for their families and communities as well.”
She said that PDLs are engaged in bag-making, bakery, and barber shop businesses.
Citing DSWD’s Memorandum Circular (MC) 19, Eulatic said eligible beneficiaries are families with prior businesses before the pandemic and were either shut down or affected, vulnerable sectors (PWDs, senior citizens), indigenous people (IPs), solo parents, among others.
Since the state of calamity declared by former President Rodrigo R. Duterte will end this month, she said they will also complete the LAG payout before its legal basis lapses. CIO
