The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bicol (DSWD-5) launched the first phase of a water and food security project to mitigate El Niño impacts across the region’s six provinces.

Claudio Villareal, chief of the DSWD-5 Disaster Response Management Division, said Wednesday that Project Local Adaptation to Water Access (LAWA) and Project BINHI will benefit 9,000 individuals. Beneficiaries from 30 local government units (LGUs) will participate in cash-for-training and cash-for-work activities.

The program targets 2,300 beneficiaries in Sorsogon, 2,100 in Masbate, and 1,700 in Catanduanes. Other allocations include 1,050 slots for Camarines Norte, 1,000 for Albay, and 850 for Camarines Sur.

“The initiative marks the beginning of a 20-day implementation period composed of three key stages: Training, Work, and Sustainability, with the initial phase focusing on capacity-building sessions conducted within the first 1–3 days,” Villareal said in a statement.

Under the program, structured modules equip beneficiaries with knowledge on sustainable farming and adaptive strategies to reduce the impacts of disasters like El Niño. Each participant receives PHP435 per day, totaling PHP8,700 for the full duration of the program.

“Some local government units in the region have already started implementing the program, including Calabanga in Camarines Sur. In the municipality of Daraga, the cash-for-work component has already started,” Villareal noted.

Implementation in Camarines Norte, Masbate, and Catanduanes is scheduled to begin next week, with DSWD-5 Regional Director Norman Laurio leading the rollout of the interventions specifically tailored for vulnerable farmers and fisherfolk. (PNA)