PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, PALAWAN – DSWD MIMAROPA held the first ceremonial turnover of the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) Mainstreaming Exit Plan to partner Local Government Units (LGUs) at AKC Country Home, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan last December 17, 2024. 

Coinciding with the Local Social Welfare and Development Officers (LSWDOOs) Conference spearheaded by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) of Palawan, the activity is considered a milestone in SLP implementation since it was the first ever done in the region.

DSWD MIMAROPA Regional Director Leonardo C. Reynoso, CESO III, endorsed the turnover of mainstreaming plans through an official letter addressed to the concerned LGUs, highlighting that these program participants and SLP associations have strong potential for livelihood growth, achieving long-term success and challenges to be addressed to ensure the sustainability of their livelihood.

813 SLP livelihood projects were entrusted to eleven (11) LGUs, namely Dumaran, Brooke’s Point, Bataraza, Busuanga, El Nido, Roxas, Agutaya, Coron, Quezon, Aborlan, and Magsaysay, for continuous support, implementation, and provision of additional funds and services for the sustainability of their livelihood projects. The mainstreaming efforts were formulated based on the results of the Final Assessment Report (FAR) conducted by the assigned SLP Monitoring Project Development Officer (MPDO).

The ceremonial turnover was led by Gina Bacosa, SLP Provincial Coordinator, and witnessed by Eric Aborot, DSWD Social Welfare and Development Team (SWADT) Leader in Palawan. 

Bacosa highlighted that through this partnership, the LGU plays an important role in achieving long-term benefits for the program participants through empowering them with opportunities for sustainable livelihood. She further mentioned that these projects were funded from CY 2017-2022 and were subject to exit the program after mandatory monitoring activities during the incubation period stipulated in the Memorandum Series 22 series of 2019.

She extended her heartfelt gratitude to LGU partners for their unwavering support and commitment to the success of SLP. “Together, we remain steadfast in working towards creating a positive impact on the lives of every program participant in Palawan.”, she concluded.

 

Contributor: David Arrogancia, SLP Palawan Project Development Officer II