Busuanga, Palawan –In the continuous effort to provide assistance to the Yolanda-affected areas of MiMaRoPa, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the region distributed an additional 20 bangka-for-livelihood to identified household beneficiaries in Coron and this municipality.

The turnover ceremony was held in barangay Salvacion and attended by Municipal Social Welfare Officer (MSWDO), Divina Dulce along with the intended beneficiaries. The project was an initiative of the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the department in collaboration with the municipalities of Coron and Busuanga. “Loss of livelihood was one of the major damage caused by the onslaught of Yolanda,” said Domingo Agra, Project Development Officer of SLP. He further said that more than rebuilding community assets, it is important to provide a “livelihood that is sustainable”. “This banca will support the livelihood needs and help generate household income for the Yolanda victims,” Agra said quoting.

DSWD, through the financial assistance of foreign and local donors were able to allocate more than Php 2million to produce livelihood assets such as pedicabs- and bangka-for-livelihood. During the celebration of Children’s month in October of last year, 13 pedicabs were distributed to beneficiaries from the island of Coron. An additional 27 motorized banca are currently being constructed, “the bangka-for-livelihood is an on-going project, and additional assets will be distributed to our beneficiaries at the soonest time possible,” said Theresa Tomines, DSWD Project Development Officer of Coron.

“Patuloy ang pakikipag-ugnayan ng aming munisipyo sa DSWD para matugunan pa ang mga pangagailangang pangkabuhayan ng mga benepisyaryo ng Busuanga at Coron,” said MSWDO Divina Dulce.

DSWD have launched various livelihood projects in the municipalities of Coron and Busuanga including: Cash-for-work and Food-for-work Projects, and Capital Assistance for Livelihood. ###