The Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian led the awarding of a Sustainable Livelihood Program – Livelihood Settlement Grant (SLP-LSG) to 682 eligible stall owners and families who are victims of the fire incident that transpired at the City of San Fernando, La Union Wet Market in January 2024.
“Nagtutulungan ang Pamahalaang Nasyonal, ibang sangay ng Pamahalaan, at ang iyong Lokal na Pamahalaan para mapagsama-sama ang resources ng Gobyerno para matulungan kayong makabangon muli. Sa hapon na ito, ang programang dala-dala namin ay iyong Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP). Nandito po kami ngayon para makapag-ambag nang maski papaano sa inyong nawalang puhunan. Hindi man namin kayang palitan lahat, sana ay makatulong ito sa maliit naming paraan. Gusto lang ng ating Pangulo na nararamdaman ninyo ang inyong pamahalaan, ang pamahalaang nasyunal, sa oras ng pangangailangan (The National Government, various branches, and your Local Government are working together to pool its resources to help you get back on your feet. This afternoon, the program we bring is the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP). We are here today to contribute in some way to your lost capital. While we may not be able to replace everything, we hope that this can help in our small way. Our President simply wants you to feel the presence of your government, the national government, in times of need),” Sec. Gatchalian told the fire victims.
“Nakakaiyak na paggising mo kinabukasan ay wala ka nang pagkakakitaan. Hindi na namin alam noon ang aming gagawin. Sa aking mga kasamahan na natupok rin ng apoy ang kanilang paninda, tuloy lang tayo sa laban ng buhay. Alagaan natin ang ating natanggap mula sa DSWD Field Office 1 – SLP upang mapaigi muli ang ating kalagayan at ating hanapbuhay (It’s devastating waking up the next day, your livelihood is gone. We didn’t know what we were going to do then. To those whose livelihood was also consumed in the fire, just keep going. Let’s take care of what we received from DSWD Field Office 1 – Sustainable Livelihood Program to improve our condition and our livelihood),” shared Mary Jane L. Cominga, one of the beneficiaries.
City Mayor Hon. Gualberto expressed his gratitude to the Department for their continued support and augmentations to the City of San Fernando, La Union, especially in times of crisis.
The DSWD Field Office 1 has already provided immediate interventions and augmentation to the City of San Fernando such as Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), Food and Non-Food items, and psychosocial support to fire victims right after the said incident.
The SLP-LSG is financial assistance provided to affected families and/or displaced persons due to armed conflict or any form of disasters such as typhoons, floods, landslides, fire, and the like to resettle and start their economic activities. (by John Chris B. Zureta, Project Development Officer II / Social Marketing Officer – Sustainable Livelihood Program)
