TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) – Cooperatives and peoples’ organizations (POs) in Bohol can now avail of a livelihood grant up to P50 million. 

This after Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado sought P30 million from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as livelihood assistance for cooperatives and POs under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP). 

The provincial government has put up P20 million in counterpart funds, said Estrellita Verenio, Provincial Cooperative Development Office (PCDO) livelihood coordinator for DILEEP in a recent Kapihan sa PIA program. 

Under DILEEP, cooperatives and POs that avail of the livelihood fund have to put up an equivalent of 20 percent of the grant amount. 

“This can be in the form of assets like buildings, labor counterpart, and some cash for operational expenses,” Verenio said.

Since 2023, PCDO released P7.8 million worth of financial assistance to cooperatives and POs in the first and third districts here. 

In the second district, Verenio said they released P8.5 million in livelihood and employment generation assistance under DILEEP. 

“Beneficiary cooperatives and POs only need to properly liquidate the full amount of the check as released, and based on the bill they listed on their project proposals,” she added.

Beneficiaries can look forward to availing of another tranche of the livelihood aid depending on the success of the initial fund release. 

Livelihood grant for drivers

Antonio Labunog, president of the Alburquerque Tricycle Drivers Association, credits their group’s success to the financial grant they received under DILEEP. 

Starting with only 15 to 18 members, Labunog said their association has now grown to 35 members. 

The association’s proposal was for a motorcycle parts, repair, and vulcanizing shop operations, which the DILEEP granted.

“We are happy with the assistance, and of course with the PCDO through the livelihood coordinator who is always with us in every step of the way, even helping us with the accreditation,” Labunog said.

Now that they have a spare parts and vulcanizing shop in town, the group’s members can easily get spare parts without any hassle, said John Oliveros, the association’s secretary.

The marginal fisherfolks of Tubigon town is another beneficiary of DILEEP who can attest to how the program has helped their livelihood. 

Elvie Baculao, Asenso Panginabuhian sa Isla Panggapasan Association (APIPA) project manager, said that before the marginal fishermen of the island were organized, their livelihood would be affected when they had to go and look for fishing supplies. 

Now, their members can easily secure fishing supplies and repair kits at a more affordable price from their newly-established fishing supplies store. 

APIPA set up their store after they were granted a P500,000 livelihood grant from DILEEP for the purchase of fishing supplies.

“APIPA has operated barely three months and has grossed P300,000 in sales,” Baculao said. 

“Thank you governor for the help from the PCDO, we would never have imagined how we can get all this blessings without the facilitation and the government help,” she added. 

PCDO

The PCDO was created a year ago after Aumentado brought to the Provincial Capitol his initiative of looking for funds to help cooperatives and POs during his stint as congressman of the second district of Bohol. 

 “This was Gov. Aumentado’s idea when he facilitated the release of DOLE’s livelihood assistance funds to cooperatives and people’s organizations in his district when he was a congressman,” said Verenio. 

The PCDO is manned by community organizers, former non-government organization workers and national government agency liaisons.  

The Kapihan sa PIA is a radio forum that is streamed live over PIA Bohol Facebook page and YouTube channel in this link: http://bit.ly/3SbLfvv. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)