BANGUED, Abra (PIA) - - The Department of Social Welfare and Development –CAR recently   held a training on livelihood assistance to 30 individuals in the province in line with the Balik Probinsya Bagong Pagasa (BP2) program of the government.

 DSWD Cordillera BP2 focal person Christopher Daoayen said the participants are families who came back to the province after being displaced or their livelihood were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. They are part of the 100 assessed and validated in the region and endorsed to the DWSD Central Office.

 Daoayen explained that under the DSWD’s BP2 program, these are “returned families” or those that did not pass through the BP2 process but went back to their respective provinces from Metro Manila and other highly urbanized cities.  They were assessed and validated in their respective local government units.

The participants from Bucay, Tineg, Tubo, and Villaviciosa were taught how to prepare a project proposal, how to do simple business accounting and bookkeeping to prepare them prior to engaging in any business.

Among their proposed livelihood programs are the putting up of sari-sari stores, online selling, street food selling and poultry.

If approved, each recipient will be given a maximum of P50, 000.00 cash assistance as start-up capital. DSWD will monitor the progress of the livelihood projects through the conduct of family conference held every three months, said Daoayen.

During the training, a wife recounted that the family had been in Metro Manila for 15 years but their source of livelihood had been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic so they had to go back to the province together with their six children. She expressed her gratitude to the program as it would help the family uplift their way of living.

According to Daoayen, the BP2 program is a great help to the beneficiaries as this is an opportunity for them as they go back to the province, they have something to start with. (JDP/SCA-PIA-CAR, Abra)