More than 3.3 million beneficiaries have been assisted by the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) since it was first implemented in 2011 through the provision of capital seed fund for microenterprises and employment assistance, an agency official said on Thursday (February 22).

“Ang SLP ay isang capability building program na naglalayong iangat ang socio-economic conditions ng ating mga kababayan lalo na ‘yong mga bulnerable at marginalized sector.  Maliban po sa regular implementation ng ating SLP, ito din po ay tumugon sa iba’t-ibang pangyayari sa ating bansa tulad ng Marawi Siege, Boracay closure, at ‘yong imposition ng rice price caps  in 2023,” DSWD Asst. Secretary for Specialized Programs under the Operations Group and concurrent SLP officer-in-charge Florentino Loyola Jr. said.

(The SLP is a capability building program that aims to improve the socio-economic conditions of our countrymen, especially those in the vulnerable and marginalized sector. Aside from the regular program, the SLP also responded to different incidents in the country such as the Marawi Siege, Boracay closure, and the imposition of rice price caps in 2023.)

Asst. Sec. Loyola said the SLP is on the right track in achieving its objective of helping families and individuals who are affected by economic shocks as well as in providing opportunities to those who want to be employed and to establish their own entrepreneurial projects.

“So, sa kabuuan po ay higit 3.3 milyong benepisyaryo ang natulungan ng SLP simula noong una itong ipinatupad noong 2011,” Asst. Sec. Loyola said during the Thursday Media Forum at the New Press Center of the Central Office in Quezon City.

(Overall, the SLP has assisted more than 3.3 million beneficiaries since it was first implemented in 2011.)

Asst. Sec. Loyola told reporters that the SLP is being implemented through a two-track program. The first track, the Microenterprise Development Track (MDT), supports micro-enterprises in becoming organizationally and economically viable. The second track, the Employment Facilitation Track (EFT), assists participants to access appropriate employment opportunities.

How to become a beneficiary

Beneficiaries of the first track should be at least 16 years old while those for the second track should be at least 18 years old.

Those qualified under the MDT are given Php15,000 each as capital assistance but for those who are members of an association, they are given Php20,000 each.

Under the EFT, first time job seekers are given Php5,000 which they can use to prepare their requirements, and cover transportation and other expenses.

Interested applicants may approach the city or municipal coordinators in their localities on how to go about the application process for SLP.

“Para ikaw ay mapabilang sa SLP, kinakailangan na ikaw ay kabilang sa Listahanan database o kaya ay isa kang 4Ps beneficiary. Subalit kung wala kayo sa dalawang nabanggit subalit kayo ay mahirap, ang SLP ang magsasagawa ng “means test” o ang mag-check sa inyong katayuan kung kayo ay qualified,” Asst. Sec. Loyola explained.

(For you to be included in the SLP, you need to be part of the Listahanan database or you are a 4Ps beneficiary. However, if you do not belong to any of the two but you are poor, the SLP will conduct the ‘means test’ to check if you are qualified.)

The DSWD Thursday Media Forum is hosted by Asst. Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez and Traditional Media Service (TMS) Director Aldrine Fermin and livestreamed over the DSWD Facebook account. #