CEBU CITY, Cebu, October 15 (PIA) -- The members of the Indigenous People (IP) community in Central Visayas continue to benefit from the assistance extended by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through the Enhanced Support Services Intervention, or ESSI, of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

The ESSI is an extension program of the 4Ps that targets helping groups within the 4Ps beneficaries, such as homeless families, vulnerable groups, farmers, fisherfolks, individuals in crisis situations, and Indigenous People (IPs).

This also serves as a method for the active beneficiaries to become empowered citizens who can stand on their own even after they graduate from the program.

"Ubos sa ESSI, dili lang taman sa cash assistance ang atong gitunol ngadto sa mga IP members natu, but naa say mga livelihood programs and community projects nga nakacontribute gyud para sa development sa ilang community (Under ESSI, we are not only giving cash assistance to our IP members, but there are also livelihood programs and community projects that have really contributed to the development of their community)," said DSWD-7 Project Development Officer III and Modified Conditional Cash Transfer (MCCT) Focal Person Raquel Daria during the Kapihan sa PIA forum on October 4 at PIA-7 Regional Office in Cebu City.

"Kini pud nga programaha nahimung vehicle alang kanila nga mahimung empowered nga they can sustain the gains of the program even after mahuman na sila isip benepisyaryo sa maong programa (This program also became a vehicle for them to be empowered so that they can sustain the gains of the program even after they graduated from being beneficiaries of the program)," Daria added.

In Central Visayas, a total of P7.2 million was allocated to finance this year's implementation of the 19 projects under ESSI.

The projects consist of livelihood programs, community projects, organic farming, small-scale projects, and cash-for-work programs, according to DSWD-7.

More than 13,000 individuals from 388 different groups already benefited from the said program since 2015, including around 4,000 IP members in Central Visayas.

The indigenous groups who were able to receive assistance from ESSI include the Bukidnon and Magahat Bukidnon groups in Negros Oriental, the Eskaya tribe and Bajau in Bohol, and the Sama-Bajau and Ati tribes in Cebu.

With the help of ESSI, the IP members were able to build their own tribal hall and footbridge in their respective communities.

They were also able to support their children's education and avail themselves of health and social services. (RGC/PIA7 Cebu)