Sec. Tufo led turnover of infra projects,

livelihood assistance payout in Bohol

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, September 16 (PIA)--Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Erwin Tulfo led the turned over of school buildings and isolation facility and payout of livelihood cash assistance in the province on Thursday, September 15.

Tulfo unveiled the 2-classroom building worth P2.5 million for Estaca Integrated High School with DSWD-7 Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero, Bohol Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado, Vice Governor Victor Balite and Mayor Wilson Pajo and other local officials in Pilar town.

Catagdaan Integrated High School and Lundag Integrated High School have also received classroom buildings.

The three 2-classroom buildings in Barangays Estaca, Catagdaan and Lundag worth P7.5 million, is a product of the community volunteers in the municipality of Pilar, who joined the program in response to addressing educational needs for students in the community and implementing the projects.

The educational facilities were funded under Kapangyarihan at Kaunlaran sa Barangay (KKB) of DSWD Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan- Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) program.

These sub-projects were identified by the community as their priority needs during their conducted Participatory Situational Analysis (PSA). It was then proposed to address the lack of classrooms, the distance of a school from their area, and the increase of enrollees of these three schools.

After the turned-over of the classroom buildings, Tulfo also led the turned-over to the municipality of Pilar the isolation facility with amenities, medical tools and equipment worth P19.9 million in Barangay Poblacion.

This sub-project is a result of the participation of members of the community in Barangay Poblacion through the implementation of an identified need that responds to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before heading back to Manila, Tulfo personally handed over cash aid under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) to 30 beneficiaries from Candijay, 80 from Carmen, and 34 from Dagohoy town, in a ceremonial payout.

A total of 144 beneficiaries received P15,000 cash aid per beneficiary, or P2,160,000.00 to all the recipients in order to support the livelihood and business owners affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his message during the program, Tulfo encouraged the beneficiaries to use their grants wisely. He said that the grant is used for financial support for the economic losses of new or pre-existing small enterprises that were greatly affected by the pandemic.

"Ang Sustainable Livelihood Program, hindi ko po pera yan, hindi po rin pera ng mga opisyal natin, pero kwarta nga gikan sa buwis nga gibayad ninyo. Diha na gikan mao na ayaw na i-waldas (It's not my money, it's not our officials' money either, but it's money from the tax you paid. That's where it comes from so don't waste it),” Tulfo said during his speech.

Beneficiaries were visibly delighted to receive the grant as all of them were financially struggling due to the strict lockdown and COVID-19 protocols.

Cresencia Espinal Suarez from the municipality of Dagohoy said that she was delighted to receive P15,000 from DSWD for the Sustainable Livelihood Program. Suarez said she will use the grant to run a small sari-sari store.

The beneficiaries were identified first by the local government unit and were endorsed to the DSWD-7 for name-matching based on the Listahanan database. The Project Development Officers then validates the listed beneficiaries and assess if they qualify as a grantee for the Livelihood Settlement Grant. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)

Sec. Erwin Tulfo led the turnover ceremony of two-classroom building at Estaca Integrated High School in Pilar town together with DSWD Field Office VII Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero, Bohol Governor Aris Aumentado and Vice Governor Victor Balite on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)

Sec. Erwin Tulfo inspects the isolation facility with amenities, medical tools and equipment worth P19.9 million in Barangay Poblacion, Pilar town on Thursday, September 15, 2022. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)