TACLOBAN CITY- About 66 persons with disabilities (PWDs) and their families received livelihood ‘starter kits’ from the city government through Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez on Tuesday(August 29) at the Tacloban City Training Center, as part of the local government’s ongoing livelihood program for the vulnerable sectors of the city.
Identified by the City Social Welfare and Development Office and the Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office (PDAO), the target beneficiaries have earlier attended a free training on food processing for 2 to 3 days and one week on mat and rug making facilitated by the Cristina’s Learn and Earn Program and a partner training center.
The distributions of beneficiaries per livelihood training were as follows: meat processing-33; banana and sweet potato chips making -25; and mat and rug weaving -22.
The beneficiaries who all came from the northern barangays received sewing machines and impulse sealers from the chief executive to help them start a sustainable source of income in the north resettlement sites.
Prior to the distribution, beneficiaries who have undergone training on food processing also received raw materials and cooking utensils from the city government.
Mayor Romualdez said that the provision of livelihood assistance to the vulnerable sector, especially those coming from the northern barangays is a priority project of her administration.
She added that the initiative is aimed at providing the marginalized sector access to sustainable livelihood opportunities so they can start anew in the resettlement sites.
The project was funded by a grant secured by the livelihood cluster of the city government from the Department of Trade and Industry’s Bottom Up Budgeting Program amounting to P2 million.
The cluster composed of the CSWDO, the Cristina’s Learn and Earn Program and City Cooperative Livelihood Development and Livelihood Assistance Office (CCDLAO) and other city departments was created to provide livelihood opportunities for the vulnerable sectors.
Also present during the awarding of livelihood assistance were CCDLAO Chief Ruena Mate and City Social Welfare Officer Remedios Buna.
Meanwhile, CSWDO Chief Buna announced that the city government will soon be implementing a group capital assistance project for PWDs and vulnerable women. – HENRY JAMES G. ROCA/CIO, Photos by Tim Canes/CMO)
