How to Avail DSWD Sustainable Livelihood Program

The DSWD Livelihood Assistance, also known as the Sustainable Livelihood Program, is a program that helps low-income families, particularly those who are affected by poverty and disaster, to improve their livelihood. It provides them with financial assistance, training programs, and access to microfinance loans.

Also Read: OWWA Balik Pinas Balik Hanapbuhay Livelihood Program for OFWs

The DSWD Livelihood Assistance program was launched as part of the government’s effort to ensure that no Filipino family goes hungry or becomes homeless because of poverty.

It aims to help them attain self-reliance by providing them with training and livelihood projects to improve their income. Find out how to apply for the DSWD Livelihood Program by reading the following sections.

What is DSWD Sustainable Livelihood Program – Livelihood Assistance?

The goal of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Sustainable Living Program is to help vulnerable and marginalized communities and households improve their socio-economy by providing them with the necessary tools and resources to manage their own affairs.

The DSWD has a clear mandate to provide comprehensive social welfare programs under Republic Act 5416. To implement this, it issued an administrative order in 2011. This provides the framework for the implementation of the SLP’s livelihood interventions.

Moreover, the DSWD-SLP aims to achieve the following:

Sustainability

The DSWD-sustainable livelihood program aims to create products and services that are sustainable for both consumers and communities. It also aims to harness the power of local communities to develop resilient and sustainable communities.

Capabilities Building & Integration

Through the DSWD’s partnership with various private and public institutions, the agency aims to create training programs that will enhance the skills of local communities. They also hope to help them improve their quality of life.

Mutual Cooperation

Through the development of social innovations, the DSWD can forge mutually beneficial relationships with its stakeholders. These partnerships can help improve the quality of life for both the participants and the communities they serve.

Empowered Communities & Businesses

Through the programs and activities of the DSWD, they aim to strengthen families who are independent and proud of their heritage and their products. They also encourage external and internal stakeholders to contribute to society through their actions.

Disaster Resiliency

Providing quality jobs and livelihood opportunities to vulnerable and marginalized individuals is a vital part of the DSWD’s strategy to ensure that they are resilient to environmental, economic, and political shocks.

The Sustainable Livelihood Program will facilitate various interventions through two (2) tracks: Microenterprise Development (MD) Track andEmployment Facilitation Track.

Microenterprise Development (MD) Track

One of these is the Microenterprise Development (MD) track, which focuses on the establishment of micro-enterprises. Through the use of financial capital, the program can help individuals develop their skills and build their physical and natural assets.

This comes in three (3) modalities:

1. Seed Capital Fund (SCF) – This is a fund that individuals or communities can use to start their own micro-enterprises. The SCF is designed to help increase the incomes of these individuals and communities as they pursue their livelihoods. This is done through the provision of conditional cash grants that can be used for any form of business. Each program participant will receive a maximum of P15,000.
2. Skills Training Fund – The grant was given to help small and medium-sized enterprises acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to manage their micro-enterprises. The fund was also used to provide skills training and business development services for the participants. Each program participant will receive a maximum of P15,000.
3. Cash for Building Livelihood Assets (CBLA) Funds – Participants who have completed various labor-intensive projects for the program are provided with an allowance or stipend. These projects are necessary for the establishment, maintenance, and protection of resilient and profitable micro-enterprises. The grant included a hundred percent of the prevailing minimum wage in the region. This amount can be used for a maximum of 11 days. During the course, the participants will be provided with an orientation and a post-CBLA activities.

Employment Facilitation Track

The other track is Employment Facilitation, which provides one-time assistance to eligible households through the provision of STF and EAF, which comes in these two (2) modalities:

1. Employment Assistance Fund – One-time grants are provided to program participants for various activities such as processing employment documents, paying medical exams, and purchasing essential equipment and materials. They also receive transportation and meal allowance, and lodging until the first 15 days of employment. Each program participant will receive a maximum of P5,000.
2. Skills Training Fund – A grant is available to help participants acquire technical and vocational skills through workshops, seminars, and orientations. The grant covers various components, such as a technical-vocational skills training fee, lodging, and transportation allowance, as well as training supplies and materials. The participants’ assessment fee is also included in the grant. Each program participant will receive a maximum of P15,000.

The SLP is part of the government’s effort to improve the skills of its workforce. It aims to help Filipinos, particularly those in the marginalized sector, to acquire valuable technical and vocational skills that will enable them to find employment locally or abroad.

Stages of Implementation

The Implementing Project Development Officer (IPDO) will conduct the first four phases of the project’s implementation. The fifth stage will be handled by the Monitoring and Evaluation Department (MPDO). This will allow the MPDO to monitor the program’s participants for one year and three quarters.

Stage 1: Pre-implementation Stage

The selection process for the SLP project is carried out through a variety of steps. These include identifying the program participants and potential market sources.

Stage 2: Social Preparation Stage

This stage is designed to empower and develop co-owners among SLP participants. It is carried out through Sustainable Livelihood Analysis, Basic Livelihood Training, and SLPA formation.

Stage 3: Resource Mobilization Stage

This stage involves planning and preparation activities for the establishment or rehabilitation of micro-enterprises. These activities involve the use of existing or acquired resources, as well as obtaining additional support from external partners.

Stage 4: Project Implementation Stage

The project implementation phase usually covers the first three months of a micro-enterprise’s operations. This means that the members of the SLPA have to be actively involved in the organization’s operations.

Stage 5: Mainstreaming Stage

This stage aims to ensure that the various activities of the SLPAs are continuously carried out to sustain their operations and employment. This can be done through the establishment of a continuous capability-building program, regular monitoring, and assessments within a two-year incubation period.

Benefits

The DSWD-SLP has a number of benefits. These include:

1. The provision of financial assistance to micro-entrepreneurs, particularly those with low income or no income at all
2. The creation of additional employment opportunities
3. Improved access to basic services such as health and education
4. A reduction in poverty
5. Higher incomes for the beneficiaries
6. Incremental improvements in the living conditions of poor families
7. Expansion of social infrastructure
8. Promotion of resource-conserving and environment-friendly technologies
9. Increased participation of local enterprises in the national economy
10. Creation of employment opportunities for the poor

Qualifications

The program aims to provide opportunities for vulnerable and marginalized households to improve their lives. It aims to build on their strengths and develop strategies that can help them achieve sustainable livelihood outcomes. This program operates in all provinces and regions. It also treats all areas as potential sites for its interventions.

Eligibility Requirements

Each household can enroll up to two individuals in a program that focuses on either of the program’s tracks: microenterprise development through market-driven and resource-based enterprises and employment facilitation through vocational and technical training. Through the job network services, the program participants can connect with local job seekers capable of handling various skills and competencies.

MD Track:

• must be at least 16 years old. (They must also have written legal consent from their parents or legal guardians.)
• a member of the Sustainable Livelihood Program Association (SLPA).

EF Track:

• must be at least 18 years old upon starting their employment.

Requirements

All participants in the SLPA EF Track and SLPAs must have a Certificate of Eligibility from the regional program coordinator of the SLP-Regional Program Management Office to ensure they follow the program’s selection process, as follows:

MD Track:

• Attendance to SLP Orientation
• Attendance to all SLPA members to Micro-enterprise Development Training
• Ratified SLPA Constitution and By-laws
• Signed Modality Application Form with
• complete attachments, if applicable
• Mungkahing Proyekto that has been signed by the Regional Director

EF Track:

• Attendance to SLP Orientation
• Attendance to Basic Employment Skills Training or presentation of other valid documents
• Signed Employment Assistance Fund/Skills
• Training Fund Needs Assessment, Modality Application Form with complete attachments, if applicable, and EAF fund Utilization Commitment
• Mungkahing Proyekto that has been signed by the Regional Director

How to Process DSWD Sustainable Livelihood Program (DSWD-SLP) Application

You may apply for DSWD-SLP by performing the following steps:

Step 1: Visit your City/Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (C/MSWDO) and contact the SLP-Project Development Officer (PDO) on the SLP Activities schedule.

Step 2: Make sure you can attend the scheduled SLP Activity in your area and participate in SLP-PDO activities

Step 3: After the first SLP activity, other activities will follow. These will be carried out according to the participant’s qualifications. The SLP-PDO will then explain the process of participating in livelihood projects.

Video: 15,000 PHP (15K) SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD PROGRAM NG DSWD

During the pandemic, the DSWD enacted various social amelioration programs to aid families who had been severely affected by the pandemic. To this day, the DSWD continues to assist these affected communities.

https://youtu.be/LQ8rXaKV5ks

Through the DSWD Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), eligible community members may receive P15K assistance for livelihood projects approved and supported by the department. This provides an opportunity for the “poorest of the poor” to recover from the effects of the pandemic.

The DSWD hopes that through this program, families who have lost their livelihood due to the coronavirus will be able to rebuild and sustain their lives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please check out these common questions and answers about the Sustainable Livelihood Program

1. What is the Mainstreaming Stage of SLPA?

This stage aims to ensure that the various sub-national licensing authorities (SLPAs) are continuously capacitated to maintain their operations and employment.

2. What is MD in SLP?

The goal of the Microenterprise Development Track of the SLP is to provide a framework for establishing and developing micro-enterprises. This includes the provision of financial capital, skills enhancement, and the building of physical and natural assets.

3. What is employment facilitation?

The Employment Facilitation Track of the SLP provides one-time assistance to eligible households who are looking for employment. This includes the provision of STF and EAF.

4. What is the purpose of the Magna Carta of the Poor?

The goal of Republic Act 11291 or the Magna Carta of the Poor is to provide the poor with the necessary tools and resources to establish their own businesses. The DSWD-SLP is one of the programs that will help improve the quality of life for the poor.

5. How old do you have to be to be on the MD track?

Participants in the MD Track must be at least 16 years old and have a written legal consent from their parents or legal guardians. They must also be a member of a sustainable livelihood program association. On the other hand, participants in the EF Track are required to be at least 18 years old upon employment.

6. What is a grant for vocational training?

A grant can help participants acquire technical and vocational skills through lectures, demonstrations, and orientations. These can be delivered through workshops, seminars, and orientations. The grant covers various components, such as a training fee, lodging, and transportation allowance. The participants’ assessment fee is additionally included in the grant.

7. What was the Republic Act 5416?

The Social Welfare Act of 1968 was a law that aimed to establish a comprehensive program for social welfare.

Summary

The DSWD-SLP is one of the many programs that the Department has put in place to help improve the quality of life for those who have been affected by the pandemic. This program provides eligible community members with P15,000 assistance for livelihood projects approved and supported by the department. The goal of this program is to help families who have lost their livelihoods rebuild and sustain their lives. If you are interested in applying for this program or if you have any questions, please check out our website or contact your local DSWD office.

The DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) seeks to provide assistance to the poorest of the poor in the aftermath of the pandemic. The department hopes that this will help families recover and sustain their livelihoods to prevent further poverty.