CEBU CITY, Cebu, Nov. 30 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 7 strengthened their convergence activity called "Lambigit” which was conducted on Nov. 29.

"Lambigit” is a Cebuano word for involvement in intensifying the convergence of the three big-ticket programs of DSWD, namely the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS), and the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).

The SLP will distribute a total of P6,435,000 to 18 Sustainable Livelihood Program Associations (SLPAs) in Lapu-Lapu City.

The beneficiaries were endorsed by the Lapu-Lapu City Government and underwent the SLP's process of selection through name matching and validation.

The seed capital fund that the beneficiaries receive will be used as start-up capital for their businesses.

A total of P6.5 million will be released during the payout.

Meanwhile, the KALAHI-CIDSS will hold a three-day Community Volunteer’s Forum for 27 community volunteers from Cebu province.

These are the best volunteers from the 27 municipalities in Cebu Province.

They were selected to share their transformative experience and promote their advocacies for community-driven development (CDD) institutionalization.

The Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Program (BP2P) of the KALAHI-CIDSS will also hold a ceremonial payout for the beneficiaries of the Livelihood Settlement Grant (LSG) worth P50,000 per family.

In 2022, 50 family beneficiaries received assistance amounting to a total of P2,500,000.

A total of 336 households that are now self-sufficient graduated from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) held at the

Mandaue Sports and Cultural Complex in Mandaue City.

The graduates are from 28 local government units in Cebu, namely; Alcantara, Alcoy, Alegria, Asturias, Badian, Balamban, Bantayan, Barili, Boljoon, Borbon, Cebu City, City of Bogo, City of Talisay, Consolacion, Cordova, Dalaguete, Dumanjug, Lapu-Lapu City, Malabuyoc, Medellin, Moalboal, Ronda, Samboan, San Francisco, San Remigio, Santa Fe, Sogod, and Tabogon.

"We hope to sustain the gains in poverty alleviation by further engaging our partner-beneficiaries and linking them to other partner stakeholders like national government agencies, local government units, and civil society organizations," said DSWD-7 Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero.(HFG/PIA7 with reports from DSWD7)