DSWD on SLP beneficiaries: No politics in selection

CEBU, Philippines — There is no politics involved in the way Sustainable Livelihood Program beneficiaries are chosen, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development-7.

Rizalina Patindol, SLP regional program coordinator, said SLP grants are not given automatically to those referred by local officials.

DSWD-7 confirmed that it responded to the request of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña that referrals from the city government be accommodated for inclusion in the SLP. However, the agency dismissed reports that a sum of P600 million from DSWD is set aside for the city’s urban poor.

DSWD-7 released early this year only a total of P2.3 million to SLP members in the city.

Patindol said this amount, which serves as the seed capital assistance, was distributed last February 19, 2018 to 230 SLP members from the 11 SLP associations in Barangay Mambaling following the approval of their proposals.

She said based on the validation and assessment results, only the proposals of these 11 SLP associations from the barangay were approved and funded.

They completed all the needed documents for the proposal and complied with all the requirements while all listed members were found eligible for the program, she added.

Patindol said referrals and applications for the SLP, among other DSWD programs, are subject to assessment and validation in accordance with existing guidelines.

She said the agency abides firmly by the existing guidelines in implementing its programs, including the SLP, and treats all referrals and applications equally.

Patindol said applicable guidelines and validation processes are strictly observed, in order to ensure that those who receive the grants are truly eligible and deserving of assistance.

She recalled that last September 2017, Osmeña and other city officials attended an orientation about the SLP.

DSWD also conducted subsequent briefings that same month for other representatives and potential beneficiaries in the city.

After that, the city government through its Department of Social Welfare Services (DSWS) submitted a total of 3,741 SLP project proposals with 66,621 target program participants from 80 barangays.

Detailed proposals were then submitted in separate batches from October to November of last year.

Of the 3,741 project proposals submitted by the city’s DSWS, 3,553 (with 62,155 target program participants) are still undergoing validation and assessment. (FREEMAN)