BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar (PIA) – In an effort to assist in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the lives and livelihood of the victims of “Typhoon Yolanda”, the Department of Labor and Employment DOLE), Eastern Samar Provincial Field Office launched “Yolanda Rehabilitation and Recovery Program” (YRRP) which is now accepting project proposals.

The program provides emergency and employment livelihood assistance through its DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency and Employment Program (DILEEP).

The program aims to contribute to the reduction of poverty and vulnerability to risks of the poor, vulnerable and marginalized workers either through transitional emergency employment and promotion of entrepreneurship and community enterprise.

In an interview with PIA, Fe A. Estrella, Chief-Labor and Employment Officer, DOLE- Provincial Field Office said that for Eastern Samar, the department has allotted P59.06M of which P11.61M is for Emergency Employment.

This targets to benefit 2,322 worker-victims in six municipalities: Lawaan, Salcedo, Mercedes, Giporlos, Quinapondan and Maydolong

Also, P47.45M is allotted for Livelihood Assistance which targets to benefit 3,469 worker-victims in ten municipalities: Maydolong, Balangkayan, Hernani, Mac-Arthur, Quinapondan, Giporlos, Lawaan, Salcedo, Mercedes and Guiuan.

Estrella also said that a P4M-assistance has already been released to the municipalities of Hernani, Balangkayan and Guiuan.

“This micro financing mechanism allows members of cooperatives, entrepreneur groups and or individuals wider access to capital that they can use to improve their livelihood and increase their income”, Estrella added.

She further said that as of this writing, there are about P30M worth of project proposals submitted to their office for evaluation and endorsed by the Provincial Project Management Team (PPMT).

After the evaluation, the DOLE Eastern Samar endorses the proposals to the DOLE-Regional Office which are again evaluated and discussed by the Regional Project Management Team (RPMT) for recommendation of the said project proposals.

When the requirements are complete and the proposals are passed, the RPMT based on the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program and the DOLE-Regional Director, being the Chairman of RPMT will grant and approve the project proposals for funding.

The submitted proposals to the DOLE, E. Samar Field Office for cooperatives and entrepreneur groups are: fishing paraphernalia, motor boat, farming implements and equipment while for individual projects are: vulcanizing, electronics, cosmetology, cellphone repair shop, electrical services, welding, car wash, massage, plumbing, appliance and upholstery repair.

The program will last until December 2014 only. (AJC/SDC/PIA8-E. Samar/ Samuel D. Candido)