The convergence of people's organizations based in the Ata-Manobo municipality of Talaingod recently received the biggest chunk of the P5.587 million livelihood grants that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-Davao del Norte handed over as part of celebrating the 124th Labor Day.
Significant Grant for Indigenous Communities
Senior Labor and Employment Officer Deogracias Victor J. Sicam, head of the Welfare and Services Unit DOLE-Davao del Norte, told the Philippine Information Agency XI Davao del Norte that such a grant "is significant," noting that the indigenous people (IP) community beneficiaries were formerly under the influence of the New People's Army (NPA).
Talaingod-based POs identified as BLIM (Bodios, Logsi, Isoparo, Mendoza) IP Farmers Association, Dagohoy Ata-Manobo Kababayen-an Association, Mibolo Km. 25 IP Youth Association, and Tibucag Farmers Association are the due recipients of the P1,407,000 grant through the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP).
Challenging Verification Process
"Gikan sa sentro Barangay Dagohoy, mga 25 kilometers pa through rough road ug sapa among giagian sa among verification visit (From the barangay center of Dagohoy, we travelled about 25 kilometers through rough roads and creeks during our verification visit)," he said.
DOLE Davao del Norte teamed up with the Davao del Norte-based Davao Marsman Labor Union (DAMLU) as its partner in implementing the Community-Based Integrated Agro-Processing and Food Enterprise Project for these Ata-Manobo associations in Talaingod.
"Layunin ng proyekto na palakasin ang kabuhayan ng mga katutubong komunidad sa pamamagitan ng napapanatiling agro-processing at food enterprise initiatives. (The project aims to strengthen the livelihood of indigenous people's communities through sustained agro-processing and food enterprise initiatives)," DOLE Davao del Norte said in a press release regarding this particular livelihood assistance for IP POs in Talaingod.
Other Major Beneficiaries
Meanwhile, among the other major beneficiaries of DILP Labor Day grants were the Dacudao Multipurpose Cooperative, recipient of a P1,000,000 grant for its food processing project, and the Department of Justice (DOJ)-Parole and Probation was granted P1,230,800 for its Balik-Buhay Itikan Project.
The Sto. Tomas Balagunan Rural Water System Association Inc. received P575,000 for its water refilling project, and Tibungol Agrarian Reform Cooperative received P500,000 for concrete products, marketing, and processing.
Supervised by the DOLE XI Extension Office in the Island Garden City of Samal (also in Davao del Norte), the Hugpong Manggagama sa Isla (HUGMAI), composed of 27 beneficiaries received P875,000 for sustainable food and non-food production through quality-based enterprise development.
"Beyond financial assistance, these livelihood grants serve as opportunities for communities to build stronger enterprises and create long-term economic opportunities," DOLE Davao del Norte field office said.
