MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has set aside P6.256 billion for the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) which aims to help 273,535 vulnerable and marginalized families and individuals to start their own livelihood projects.

Among the target beneficiaries are exiting Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) households. DSWD Secretary Rexlon “Rex” Gatchalian said that the SLP would help ensure that they would not slide back to poverty.

SLP Director Edmon Monteverde, concurrently the officer-in-charge of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Promotive Programs, explained the need for the agency to prioritize "graduating" 4Ps households.

“There are those that exit 4Ps due to natural attrition, meaning, they have already reached the seven-year period as mandated by law but they could not yet recover due to hardship,” Monteverde said.

The SLP may also be accessed by non-4Ps, particularly Filipino households who belong to the marginalized, vulnerable and disadvantaged sectors needing livelihood assistance.

The DSWD's livelihood program has two modalities - the micro-enterprise development track and the employment assistance track.

Under the micro enterprise development track, the beneficiaries are provided with skills training to manage a business and capital assistance based on their proposed business, Monteverde said.

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The program has a 74 percent success rate, considered high for government intervention.

One of the program’s most successful stories is the Real Livelihood Association in Quezon Province which has been operating for decades, the official said.

“In Real, Quezon, there were already 32 Sustainable Livelihood Program Associations (SLPAs) which now have millions in their bank account. They also engaged in savings and credit facility and they even extended the credit and savings facility even outside the association as part of their corporate social responsibility,” Monteverde said.

In Metro Manila, the successful livelihood projects under SLP include liquid soap making in Malabon City and balut and salted egg micro-enterprise in Pateros.

As business is not for all, the SLP offers employment assistance which provides help to those seeking jobs and need the documentary requirements to secure their application.

DSWD allocates P6.2B for livelihood program

The SLP also has a training fund which the DSWD provides in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.