Bohol’s livelihood grants

portfolio for coops, P50M

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol Jan 26 (PIA) –From the Deparment of Labor and Employment funds for its livelihood and emergency employment alone, Boholano organizations and cooperatives can look up to a portfolio of assistance reaching a maximum of P50M.

The information came about during the recent Kapihan sa PIA, where the Provincial Cooperative Development Office (PCDO) livelihood coordinator for DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP) shared the development following local efforts to help people who profess to help themselves and organize into help groups.

PCDO DILEEP livelihood coordinator for Bohol, Estrellita Verenio said that the office, which was set up a year ago, was Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado’s idea after his congressional discretion then facilitated for the release of DOLE livelihood assistance funds to cooperatives and people’s organizations in his district.

Seeing the initiative as working well, Aumentado brought the idea to the Capitol and one of his first few acts upn assumption to office was to create a province-wide cooperative development office manned by community organizers, former non-government organization workers and national government liaisons, all primed to hand-hold cooperatives and organizations seeking for additional income and employment, Verenio explained.

With decades of NGO work under her belt, Verenio took on the DILEEP coordination since last year and successfully released P7.8 M worth of assistance to cooperative and people’s organizations of the first and the third district in Bohol.

From the second district where she continues to liaise after her service under the congressional office of the now, new governor, Verenio has facilitated the release of P 8.5 M livelihood and employment generation assistance from DILEEP.

This year, the governor sought from DOLE some P30M in DILEEP assistance grants to Boholano organizations and cooperatives, while the Capitol is also putting up another P20 M in counterparts funds, she shared.

With DILEEP, as the government gives livelihood grants, but this thrives on fund leveraging strategy, that cooperatives and peoples organizations tapping the livelihood fund has to put up an equivalent of 20% of the grant amount, this can be in the form of assets like buildings, labor counterpart and some cash for operational expenses, Verenio said.

As grants, organizations and cooperative beneficiaries, only need to properly liquidate the full amount of the check as released, and based on the bill they listed on their project proposals, she added.

Beyond that, the chance to get another tranche of help can depend on the success of the initial fund release, Verenio who came to Kapihan sa PIA with officers of two assisted cooperatives revealed.

Alburquerque Tricycle Drivers Association President Antonio Labunog, said his organization started with 15-18 members, and now they are 35.

Organized despite getting downplayed by local government officials, Labunog said that they proposed for a motorcycle parts and repair services including vulcanizing shop operations, which the DILEEP granted.

We are happy with the assistance, and of course with the PCDO through the livelihood coordinator who is always with us in every step of the way, even helping us with the accreditation, Labunog said.

Now with a parts store and vulcanizing shop in town, their members can easily get spare parts and ply the streets of the town anytime, without the hassle, attested John Oliveros, the organizations secretary.

He also said Verenio helped them with their accreditation with DOLE, to access the help.

On the other hand, Asenso Panginabuhian sa Isla Panggapasan Association (APIPA) project manager Elvie Baculao said when they organized the marginal fishermen of the island, some 5 kilometers off the port of Tubigon, their members fishermen need not stop going out to sea anymore, as they can now secure fishing supplies and repair kits at a cheaper price from their newly established fishing supplies store.

Granted with P500K livelihood assistance for purchase of fishing supplies, APIPA has operated barely three months and have grossed P300K in sales, Baculao said.

Thank you governor for the help from the PCDO, we would never have imagined how we can get all this blessings without the facilitation and the government help, she summed. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

FOR PEOPLE HELPING THEMSELVES. PCDO livelihood coordinator for DILEEP Estrellita Verenio explained that the DOLE assistance to coops can only be accessed when people realize that they can not just sit and wait for help to come, that they need to organize, show effort and plan for everyone to improve their lots. (PIABohol)

HAPPY FOR THE HELP. Organizations benefitting from the DILEEP include Asenso Panginabuhian sa Isla Panggapasan Association (APIPA); a marginal fishermen’s association who sought for a fishing supplies store in the island managed by Elvie Baculao (second from left) and Alburquerque Tricycle Drivers Association’s motorcycle spare parts and vulcanizing shop under Antonio Labunog (extreme right) with secretary John Oliveros (extreme left) thanks Governor Aumentado for expanding a congressional program facilitating help for sectors, through Estrellita Verenio (third from left). (PIABohol)