DOLE Antique releases P3.599 million for CLEEP

by PS Mabaquiao

San Jose, Antique (7 January) — The Department of Labor and Employment has released a total of P3,599,808.00 to the beneficiaries of Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP)in the province of Antique.

A total of 824 families were given livelihood assistance under the Livelihood Formation Program, Integrated Livelihood Advancement of Fisherfolks (ISLA) and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantage workers (TUPAD).

CLEEP is the administration’s nationwide effort intended to protect the country’s most vulnerable sectors — such as the poor, returning expatriates, workers in the export industry, and out-of-school youths, from threats and consequences of reduced or lost income as a consequence of the global economic crisis — by providing emergency employment and funding and supervising livelihood projects. (CLEEP website).

For Livelihood Formation, DOLE has released P2,340,720.00 to 538 families in the towns of Valderrama, San Remigio, Sibalom, Tibiao, and Barbaza. Most of the livelihood projects undertaken by the family-beneficiaries are livestock raising, bamboo craft, carpentry, sari-sari store among others.

A total of 136 fisherfolks have availed of financial assistance under ISLA project in the towns of Laua-an and Tobias Fornier. The financial assistance was used to purchase fishing nets and other fishing gears of marginal fisherfolks in the said areas.

For TUPAD, DOLE has released P660,000.00 for the municipalities of San Remigio,, Valderrama and Laua-an with each municipality receiving P220,000.00 for emergency employment of 50 individuals who were affected by economic crisis.

DOLE Antique emphasized that aside from displaced workers, the beneficiaries of the project also include victims of disasters and calamities in the province.

The Department of Labor and Employment is the lead agency in the fulfillment of this endeavor with job generation being the main thrust of CLEEP. Nonetheless, other line departments and agencies have the same event in their agenda.

The government has set aside a P1-billion package for CLEEP that targets the creation of more than 220,000 jobs. These jobs created under the CLEEP will help improve the country’s infrastructure, push the growth of rural enterprise, improve public health care and food security, and stimulate private investments. (PIA)