Indigenous Peoples (IP) families affected by the implementation of the Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project Stage II (JRMP II) in the Municipality of Calinog in Iloilo received an additional PHP7 million for their livelihood projects from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Steve Cordero, Watershed Management Section Chief of the Institutional Management Division of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), said DOLE is part of the interconvergence mechanism under JRMP II.

“As of this time, we are now on our fourth tranche of livelihood program from DOLE with a total amount of almost PHP19 million. We continuously avail of the program of DOLE because of our good performance during their monitoring,” he said in a phone interview on Wednesday.

The check was released by DOLE, led by Regional Director Sixto Rodriguez Jr., to NIA Regional Manager Jonel Borres during the regional celebration of its founding anniversary in Iloilo City on Dec. 5.

The amount will be used for the production of goat, mallard duck, and muscovy duck for 175 IP families.

Each beneficiary will receive a total amount of PHP40,000 livelihood intervention under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program.

Cordero said they have yet to procure the materials and inputs for the projects and conduct training for the beneficiary families. Tentatively, they target to deliver the projects by the end of 2026.

In 2024, DOLE also provided livelihood programs of broiler chicken production, dried fish retailing, feeds retailing, mallard duck production, muscovy duck production, and native chicken production to 135 IP families.

The livelihood program was designed to restore the livelihood of families affected by the project. (PNA)