The livelihood project is aimed at enhancing and transforming fishing activities of individual fishers to a cohesive community enterprise that has a high chances of becoming not only income-augmenting but more so employment-generating undertaking.
During the launching-cum-turn-over ceremony of small-scale fishing project on August 16 at the City Agricultural Services Grounds, Poverty Alleviation Center in Combado, Maasin City, DOLE Regional Director Exequiel Sarcauga emphasised the active and significant role of LGU Maasin towards the successful inception of the project.
DOLE-RO8, under the Capacity Building for Livelihood Formation, committed a P612,049-fund assistance while LGU Maasin shared 20 percent (P153,012.25) of the total project cost.
DOLE will monitor the project for three years and upon meeting the required conditions stipulated in the operational guidelines of the DILP, DOLEs major involvement will then be phased-out, Virgilio Doroja Jr. of DOLE said.
Meanwhile, Lone District of Southern Leyte Congressman Roger G. Mercado in his speech during the activity said: Today, we have just received a great blessing because this is a response to our need. Through this, we will have a source of living.
Aside from Congressman Mercado and Director Sarcauga, the top personalities present in the event were Chair of the Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment Honorable Vivencio Costillas, Chair of the Committee on Livelihood Honorable Reynaldo Hatayna, City Agriculturist Amado Acasio, RTWPB Board Secretary Florencio Aguilos, PIA Southern Leyte Information Center Manager Ms. Erna Gorne, DOLE-SLFO Head Ms Fe Norma D. Valuis, and partners from the local media.
Moreover, as part of the DILP, capacity building trainings were conducted for beneficiaries of the programme. A two-day Social Preparation Seminar and Entrepreneurial Appreciation Course (SPEAC) was conducted to the 48 fisherfolks from August 16-17, 2012 at the Kinamot sa Pugaling, Maasin City. Seminar Modules discussed were as follows: Values Reorientation, Communication, Leadership, Management, Ten Personal Entrepreneurial Skills, Action Planning and Workshop, Mr. Neil Moraleta of DOLE Southern Leyte Field Office informed.
Small-Scale Fishing Project to Uplift Economic Standing of Fishermen
PHILIPPINES - Forty-eight fishers in Maasin City, Southern Leyte are hopeful that the small-scale fishing livelihood project funding that they recently received from the Department of Labor and Employment Integrated Livelihood Programme (DILP) in partnership with the city government of Maasin, will uplift their economic status.
by Lucy Towers
