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The Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Thursday awarded livelihood packages to selected beneficiaries in Barangay 343 in Sta. Cruz, Manila.
The activity brought together beneficiaries, partner agencies, and community members in support of DOLE’s program aimed to provide better livelihood opportunities for urban poor families.
Before the awarding proper, representatives from PhilHealth conducted a short orientation on the PhilHealth YAKAP Program to inform participants about available healthcare benefits and services that they can access for themselves and their families.
At least 15 families received livelihood assistance packages, which was facilitated by Commissioner Reynaldo Galupo in October last year.
Recipients received eatery and barbecue packages that can help them start small businesses and create additional income for their households. The beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the support, sharing that the assistance would greatly help them provide for their families and work toward a more stable source of livelihood.
Galupo encouraged the beneficiaries to value and make the most of the assistance given to them, reminding them to “not waste the opportunity, appreciate it, and grow the business being entrusted to them.”
“There were originally 30 would-be beneficiaries that we screened and interviewed before submitting their names to DOLE’s Manila field office. Some names were not included since they were already recipients of other government programs. These beneficiaries have undergone seminar and training before they were included in the program to assure that the livelihood assistance won’t go to waste,” he said.
DOLE Senior Labor and Employment Officer John Rey ABitria said regular monitoring and follow-up activities will be conducted to check on the progress of the beneficiaries and help ensure the sustainability of their livelihood projects.
The continued collaboration of PCUP with other agencies is in consonance with the agency’s mandate to serve as link between the government and the urban poor communities in an effort to empower them and help them achieve a better quality of life.
