Over 5K in Central Visayas receive livelihood aid from Dole

THE Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) 7 provided livelihood assistance to over 5,000 individuals in 2022, up 56 percent from the 3,618 beneficiaries it assisted in 2021.

Last year’s 5,629 beneficiaries received a total of P78.8 million worth of livelihood assistance from the labor department.

Cebu Province topped the list with 1,916 beneficiaries benefitting from P26.6 million in livelihood assistance.

Beneficiaries of the livelihood program did not receive cash. Rather, Dole 7 gave them materials and equipment to aid them in making a living on their own.

Bohol had 1,430 beneficiaries that received P16.6 million worth of assistance, while the tri-cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu had 686 beneficiaries who received P16.5 million in livelihood assistance.

Some 1,322 beneficiaries from Negros Oriental received P14.4 million in assistance, while 275 beneficiaries from the province of Siquijor received P4.8 million in livelihood assistance.

These beneficiaries were mostly self-employed individuals that had insufficient income, marginalized and landless farmers and fisherfolk, senior citizens, minimum wage earners, seasonal workers and parents or guardians of profiled child laborers.

In 2022, Dole 7 had targeted only 2,728 beneficiaries; however, by the end of the year, the number of beneficiaries had more than doubled.

The labor agency has categorized its livelihood assistance into the group project and individual project categories.

Under the group project category, assistance was handed out for micro-livelihood, small livelihood and medium livelihood.

Under the individual project category, Negosyo sa Kariton (Nego-Kart) and Starter Kits were given to beneficiaries.

Nego-Kart, a project for ambulant vendors, provides capital or resources for vending including carts.

The Starter Kit aims to help a beneficiary start a livelihood undertaking immediately such as motorcycle or cellular phone repair, welding, plumbing, electrical servicing, car wash, upholstery, appliance or massage services.