Persons who used drugs (PWUDs) attends the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) orientation during an aftercare program at (add name of venue/location). (Photo courtesy of LGU Basud, Camarines Norte)

Legazpi City-The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Sustainable Livelihood Program (DSWD-SLP), supports initiative of aftercare program for persons who used drugs (PWUDs) through complementary provision of livelihood intervention.

DSWD-SLP together with Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Health (DOH) and Local Social Welfare and Development Office (LSWDO) have already conducted series of aftercare services in the provinces of Sorsogon, Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur, started after the six months of rehabilitation conducted by DOH.

SLP is a community-based capacity building program that aims to improve the socioeconomic condition of the participants. It facilitates interventions that expand the livelihood asset based on the participants (human, social, physical, natural, and financial capital) so they may either have gainful employment or successfully manage a microenterprise.

The PWUDs who were referred by Local Social Welfare and Development Office (LSWDO) have undergone name matching with 2015 Listahanan database of poor households.

Thus, the following are the eligibility criteria to determine if the referrals or walk-in clients can be granted SLP assistance:

  1. At least 18 years of age, however, for Micro-Enterprise Development (MD) track, the eligible individual or walk-in client maybe at least 16 years old provided consent from parents or legal guardian shall be submitted to SLP.

MD Track focuses on starting, expanding or rehabilitating micro-enterprises, activities. This track includes entrepreneurship, technical – vocational and soft skills training.

  1. Included in the Listahanan and tagged as poor or assessed as poor through the administration of Household Assessment Form (HAF) or the SLP Means Test tool that used to determine the eligibility of potential SLP participants who were not found in Listahanan database.; and
  2. Issued with Certificate of Eligibility (COE) as a proof that the referred individuals or walk-in clients underwent the required processes as specified in the guidelines.

Moreover, eligible individual maybe provided with one (1) kind of assistance through the following:

  1. Micro-enterprise Development- Seed Capital Fund (SCF), a maximum of Php15,000.00 per eligible individual representing a household. The SCF is a financial assistance used as a capital to start or continue a micro-enterprise, SCF may be used for the purchase of materials, inputs and other physical assets that are necessary for the operation of micro-enterprise.
  2. Employment Facilitation (EF) -Employment Assistance Fund (EAF)- a maximum of Php 5, 000.00 per eligible individual representing a household. The EAF is a financial assistance used for the acquisition of employment documents necessary for the identified employment and to augment expenses within the first fifteen (15) days of employment.

Relative to this, about 101 PWUDs undergone trainings and was provided livelihood intervention under SLP-General Appropriations Act GAA) 2018.

Furthermore, DSWD as one of the lead agencies for Aftercare Program (ACP) aims to help recovering drug dependent persons to become a functional member of the society after completing the phases of treatment and rehabilitation. #PRNPOJ092319This year, the DSWD-SLP continuously strengthen the PWUDs in Bicol by providing them trainings and orientation about various program interventions.