The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), together with LGU Mandaon of the province of Masbate and their Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO), Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Agriculture (DA), Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) and the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), held a Capability Building Training cum Women’s Culminating Activity at the Municipal Covered Court of Mandaon, Masbate for the SLP program participants in the municipality last April 8.

Besides DSWD SLP, LGU Mandaon, and partner agencies, the activity was attended by SLP-organized SLP Associations engaging in livelihoods related livestock, poultry, vegetables and crops, and bangus farming.

The primary objective of the activity was to conduct training on enterprise management to enhance the knowledge and skills of SLP Association members in proper enterprise management, provided by DSWD under SLP and other partner agencies. This is to ensure the success, longevity, and sustainability of their enterprises, benefiting both their livelihoods and their communities.

In addition to the training on enterprise management, the event also featured the participation of the Women and Children Protection Desk of the Philippine National Police (PNP), led by Police Senior Master Sergeant Rina Malipot. They shared insights and information on how the police force can support women in maintaining order and peace within their barangay and municipality.

Police Senior Master Sergeant Malipot shares information and insights to the participants on how the police can support women in barangays and municipalities.

Furthermore, select beneficiaries were provided with various seeds for use in their livelihood projects, courtesy of the Department of Agriculture.

Moreover, the Cooperative Development Authority was invited to conduct a Pre-Registration Seminar, with the goal of formalizing the associations into cooperatives. The registration of SLP Associations as cooperatives would enhance their recognition and broaden their market reach, as well as provide additional guidance and support from the agency to foster their development.

With the support of MAO Mandaon and PCIC (Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation), the attending program participants were oriented on the agency’s services and were given an opportunity to register with PCIC to avail of the agency’s insurance services.

PCIC personnel oriented the participants on the services of the agency.

The activity was a joint initiative facilitated by DSWD SLP Mandaon Implementing Project Development Officer II Mariz T. Omega with the assistance of DSWD SLP PAMANA PDO Analiza Denola, under the guidance of Capability PDO Raymund Cuazon, Partnership PDO Nikka Isabelle Margallo, Provincial Coordinator Mylene Magalang and MSWDO Mandaon headed by Aileen P. Delos Reyes, RSW, with full support from LGU Mandaon, Municipal Mayor Kristine Salve E. Hao-Kho, and Municipal Administrator Atty. Katherine Emm Glory E. Hao.

The Sustainable Livelihood Program is DSWD’s lead capability building program for the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized households and communities in helping improve their socio-economic conditions through accessing and acquiring necessary assets to engage in and maintain thriving livelihoods. One of the program’s services to program participants is the provision of trainings to improve the capabilities of participants in managing their livelihoods, and engagement with partners to provide additional livelihood interventions to the participants.