Former members of violent extremist groups who have voluntarily abandoned their causes are now qualified for the Department of Labor and Employment’s Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP), Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.
In a statement, Bello also said that families of recovering drug dependents, applicants of the “Balik Probinsiya, Bagong Pag-Asa” program, and dependents of casualties in legitimate police and military operations are also eligible for assistance under DILP, subject to existing guidelines.
DILP is a DOLE flagship program that provides grant assistance for capacity-building on livelihood and entrepreneurial ventures for vulnerable and marginalized workers.
Former members of the Abu Sayyaf, Maute, Dawlah Islamiya, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and Turaife groups, among others, may apply to the program.
“I issued supplemental guidelines on the implementation of the DILP to expand its covered beneficiaries, and we are reaching out to more members of our society for a truly inclusive development,” Bello said.
The new eligible for DILP program under DOLE Administrative Order No. 126 series of 2021 also includes individuals who will implement the Free Bisikleta or Freebis program, an alternative employment or livelihood opportunity through a small vending or delivery business.
The maximum amount of assistance for the individual Free Bisikleta livelihood project is increased from P20,000 to P25,000 inclusive of working capital, coverage to micro-insurance, and training.
Bello also announced that parents of child laborers who are beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) (provided they have been profiled and endorsed by Child Labor focal person), family members of probationers/parolees (regardless of previous cases), and indigenous people who are also beneficiaries of 4Ps can avail of the DILP.
The new DILP qualifiers now join the eligible roster of beneficiaries that include self-employed workers who are unable to earn sufficient income, unpaid family workers, low-waged and seasonal workers, workers displaced or to be displaced, marginalized and landless farmers, marginalized fisherfolks, women and youth, persons with disability, senior citizens, indigenous peoples, victims of armed conflicts, rebel returnees, and parents of child laborers.
Organizations composed of 15-25 members can avail of the micro-livelihood maximum grant assistance of P250,000. Organizations with 26-50 members can avail of a maximum grant assistance of P500,000 under the small livelihood category, and those with more than 50 members can avail of a maximum grant assistance of P1 million for a medium livelihood project.
Interested individuals and organizations can contact their nearest DOLE regional or field offices for further information about the DILP.