DOLE grants PHP 125.8 million livelihood aid

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Western Visayas provided PHP 125,864,388 in livelihood assistance to 4,800 workers through the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program as of Sept. 30, 2025.

The DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program, or DILP, is a flagship initiative that provides emergency employment and sustainable livelihood assistance to displaced workers, low-income earners, informal sector workers, and other vulnerable groups.

Under the program, beneficiaries received starter kits, tools, equipment, raw materials, and capacity-building interventions to help them establish or expand livelihood ventures.

In Western Visayas, the program supported a wide range of individual and group-based projects in agriculture, fisheries, food processing, retail, services, and other community-based enterprises.

The assistance aims to promote income generation, reduce vulnerability to economic shocks, and support inclusive local economic growth across the region.

Among the major projects supported were the PHP 9 million Piña Fabric and Garments Production Project in Aklan and the PHP 800,000 livelihood assistance for Indigenous Peoples’ fishing activities in Antique, which covers fishing boat enhancements and fishing and pump boat materials.

Also funded was the PHP 500,000 Raft Oyster and Mussel Culture Project for the Pinamihagan Conservation of Mangrove and Fisherfolks Association in Capiz.

Support for vulnerable sectors included the PHP 500,000 Commodities Store Project for Persons With Disabilities in Capiz and PHP 8.05 million for various livelihood projects for parents of child laborers in Iloilo.

Additional assistance covered a PHP 549,892 rice retailing project in Negros Occidental benefiting 18 persons deprived of liberty, and PHP 1 million in livelihood projects for parents of child laborers in Guimaras.

Regional Director Atty. Sixto T. Rodriguez Jr. said that the DILP is more than financial assistance and serves as a strategic intervention to empower workers and communities.

Rodriguez said the program equips beneficiaries with the means to become self-reliant and productive while contributing to the broader goal of sustainable development in the region.

He added that DOLE Western Visayas remains focused on ensuring that livelihood assistance reaches those who need it most and that projects supported under the DILP are viable, community-driven, and responsive to local economic conditions.

Rodriguez said the regional office will continue to strengthen partnerships with local government units, workers’ organizations, and other stakeholders to ensure effective implementation, monitoring, and long-term impact.

The DILP remains a key component of the department’s labor and employment agenda, underscoring the government’s commitment to inclusive growth and decent work for all.