MANILA, Philippines – Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz yesterday urged stakeholders and DOLE partners, including beneficiaries, to monitor progress of livelihood projects funded under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) to ensure that not a single centavo of taxpayers’ money is wasted; that beneficiaries themselves are improving their lives from the livelihood assistance; and that their livelihood projects are contributing to the growth of the communities and the local economies.
Baldoz issued the challenge as she announced the DOLE 2014 budget for the livelihood assistance program amounting to P1.574 billion, divided into two components: (1) P690.022 million for the DILP funded under the DOLE’s regular budget in the General Appropriations Act, which are directly released to the DOLE regional offices; and P883.98 million under the supplemental budget for Typhoon Yolanda, which the Department of Budget and Management has yet to release.
Baldoz said the DOLE is targeting 190,000 informal sector workers, including women, unemployed youth, and disadvantaged workers to benefit from its regular livelihood assistance, while another 102,011 beneficiaries are expected to be benefited by the Typhoon Yolanda special budget.
“Continuous and active monitoring of our livelihood assistance is in line with President Benigno S. Aquino III’s agenda of transparency, accountability, and integrity in all government transactions.”
On the other hand, the DOLE has also a share of the Bottoms-up-Budget (BUB), which has a livelihood component, intended for poorest of the poor in 1,200 identified municipalities. For 2014, the DOLE’s BUB budget is pegged at P326.843 million. The DOLE will also provide short-term employment to 200,000 students and out-of-school youth nationwide under its Special Program for the Employment of Students, or SPES, which has a budget of P500 million. Last year, 167,569 students and out-of-school youth benefited from the SPES.
“With available seed money given by Congress, I, therefore, direct all DOLE regional directors, together with program and field implementers, to work as a team and in convergence with other government agencies and partners to help our people achieve inclusive livelihood for the informal sector, women, unemployed youth, and disadvantaged workers of the country,” Baldoz said.
