The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will expand its risk resiliency program, Local Adaptation to Water Access (LAWA) and Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished (BINHI), next month with a PHP21.12-million budget.

Armil Gayorgor, DSWD Regional Office 6 Project Development Officer II and program expansion lead in Antique, said in an interview Thursday that 2,200 residents from six local government units (LGUs) will benefit from temporary employment through cash-for-training and cash-for-work initiatives.

This year’s expansion includes the municipalities of Pandan and Culasi, in addition to Sibalom, San Remigio, Barbaza, and Sebaste, which were part of the program in previous years.

“The program aims to strengthen the resilience and adaptive capacities of LGUs while ensuring food security,” Gayorgor said.

Pandan and Culasi were added due to their vulnerability to the forecasted La Niña phenomenon in June, as both are coastal municipalities.

Beneficiaries will construct small farm reservoirs (SFRs) to serve as water catchments for farms and establish communal vegetable gardens to enhance food security.

Each participant will receive PHP9,600 after completing 20 days of cash-for-training and cash-for-work, equivalent to a daily wage of PHP480.

Gayorgor said the program begins with a five-day cash-for-training session, where beneficiaries learn about the program’s importance, SFR construction, and vegetable or fruit-bearing tree selection. This is followed by 15 days of cash-for-work, during which they build SFRs and plant crops. (PNA)