In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to empower vulnerable and marginalized sectors, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has further expanded and strengthened the implementation of the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) in the Caraga Region to boost income and employment opportunities for Caraganons.
A total of P2.54 million worth of livelihood grants were turned over to associations in Surigao del Sur and the province of Dinagat Islands, reflecting DOLE’s commitment to supporting community-based enterprises in the region.
In Carmen, Surigao del Sur, farmer-members of the Hinapoyan Free Range Chicken Farm Association received P537,725 worth of livelihood assistance. The grant was awarded in a ceremony held recently, with the Local Government Unit of Carmen as the proponent co-partner. This initiative is expected to boost the association’s egg-laying production.
In Barangay New Mabuhay, Dinagat Islands, farmer-members of the New Mabuhay Cassava and Corn Farmers Association received on August 26 a P600,000 worth of livelihood support, which included a weighing scale and the town’s first-ever corn milling machine.
Meanwhile, DOLE’s assistance to the Wakat Community-Based Resource Management People’s Organization based in Barobo, Surigao del Sur, has already shown positive outcomes.
In 2018 and 2023, the group was granted a total of P1.4 million to boost its milkfish (bangus) production. The association now supplies fresh and high-quality bangus across Surigao del Sur, as well as in nearby provinces, including Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, and Davao Oriental. The expansion has also resulted in additional short-term employment for member-fishers assisting with classifying, segregating, and handling produce.
The Labor Department, through its various regional offices, commits to continuously expanding the program’s reach and empowering communities by creating more sustainable livelihood opportunities for grassroots communities.
