Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista said on Monday that about 51 cooperatives were created through the agency’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) associations.
Bautista, in a press release, lauded the role of cooperatives in providing employment and training that are significant to community-building at this time of the pandemic.
“Tumutulong ang mga kooperatiba na mabigyan ng sapat na kasanayan at kaalaman ang mamamayan, umaagapay sa pagbuo ng matatag na pamayanan sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng trabaho at iba pang pinagkakakitaan sa mga miyembro ng komunidad; nagbibigay ng abot-kaya at de kalidad na mga produkto at serbisyo; at higit sa lahat ay tumutulong upang makamit ang lubos na pag-unlad sa mga kanayunan (The cooperative provides sufficient skills and knowledge for the people. They aid in forming strong communities through opening jobs and offering various sources of income apart from supplying affordable yet of good quality products),” he said.
The DSWD is promoting the creation of cooperatives through the SLP associations so more people can have access to an organization that will help them upgrade their state of living.
Memorandum Circular No. 12 of 2018 states that the SLP is open to all municipalities and cities across the country.
However, municipalities and cities shall be determined based on the data generated by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and Listahanan database, where the poorest and most vulnerable households are identified.
SLP is a capacity-building program that provides opportunities to the vulnerable, marginalized, and disadvantaged individuals, families, and communities to enhance their livelihood assets and capacity to utilize their resources more productively.
Through SLP, DSWD guarantees support to cooperatives around the country, especially in the provision of technical assistance and promotion of economic opportunities for the self-sufficiency of poor and marginalized groups around the country, in partnership with other concerned agencies. (PNA)
