Some 800 beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Project LAWA (Local Adaptation to Water Access) and BINHI (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished) in two provinces in Zamboanga Peninsula received cash assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Friday (June 28).

The DSWD partnered with DOLE, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on May 31, to include the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Program in the implementation of Project LAWA and BINHI.

The DOLE has allocated Php144 million for the more than 14,000 initial beneficiaries of this tie-up project with the DSWD.

“Through this partnership with DOLE, we have provided additional income support through cash-for-work for these climate vulnerable communities and families by participating in building water access infrastructure and implementing sustainable farming practices,” DSWD Asst. Secretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Irene Dumlao said.

The payouts, which were sent through the Palawan Remittance Center, were for the partial payment of the 10-day cash-for-work rendered by 300 beneficiaries from the municipality of Titay in Zamboanga Sibugay;  and 200 from Jose Dalman town and 300 from Siayan town in Zamboanga del Norte.

The LAWA at BINHI beneficiaries received partial payments amounting to ₱3,810 each. The payment for the balance of the 10 days of work is scheduled to be disbursed this July.

Asst. Secretary Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said Project LAWA and BINHI aims to strengthen the adaptive capabilities of poor and vulnerable families during periods of severe drought, ultimately mitigating the impact of food insecurity and water scarcity brought about by climate change.

The target beneficiaries include families of farmers, fisher folks, indigenous peoples (IPs), and other climate and disaster-vulnerable families identified as poor by Listahanan 3 or upon assessment and validation of the Local Social Welfare and Development Office (LSWDO).

“Each beneficiary is given the opportunity to participate in cash-for-training/work (CFTW) for 10 to 25 days with the corresponding daily wage based on the prevailing Regional Daily Minimum Wage Rate (RDMWR) range of the project area,” the DSWD spokesperson said. #