SAN JOSE, Occidental Mindoro (PIA) -- Over 350 residents of the municipality of San Jose in Occidental Mindoro recently availed of the cash-for-work program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The program is one of DSWD’s intervention measures to help individuals get temporary employment.
Residents who were selected for this batch of beneficiaries were made to work on disaster preparedness and environmental projects in their respective barangays from January 17 to February 15.
Alicia Cajayon of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, explained that the program aims to help members of the local Mangyan community repair their houses that were damaged by Typhoon Egay (international name: Doksuri) in 2023.
“Ang layunin ng programa ay ma-augment yung daily needs nila kasi alam naman natin na sila yung minimum wage earners at walang regular na hanapbuhay. Malaking bagay ito para kahit papaano ma-meet yung kanilang basic necessities at kahit papaano mapaayos ang nasira nilang bahay,” Cajayon said.
[The purpose of the program is to augment the beneficiaries’ daily needs because they are those who are minimum wage earners or seasonal workers. This is a big help for them to somehow meet their necessities and repair their damaged houses.]
Workers received P10,650 in exchange of 10-day disaster-mitigation activities in their barangays. 101 out of 355 beneficiaries of the DSWD's Cash-for-Work Program of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro are from the Mangyan Communities. (Photo by Dianne Gorembalem/PIA Occidental Mindoro)
Joel Adre from Barangay Mapaya shared that he will use his stipend for his family’s needs while he is waiting for the renewal of his tricycle franchise.
“Naabutan ng expiration ang aking prangkisa kaya hindi ako makapagpasada…ilalaan ko ang sweldo ko para sa pamilya…malaking tulong ito,” Adre said.
[My tricycle franchise expired so I could not use my tricycle for livelihood. I will use my salary for my family. This is a huge help.]
Adre and other beneficiaries in their barangay cleared sewage in their community.
Cajayon underscored that the activities performed during the program also encourage the whole community to participate in disaster mitigation activities like declogging canals, clearing trees, and regular cleaning. (DSG/PIA MIMAROPA – Occidental Mindoro)
