TAWI-TAWI—The provincial office of the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) has released the stipends of beneficiaries, who undertook training under the Bangsamoro Sagip Kabuhayan Program (BSK), and implemented other programs that targeted most marginalized families in this province as beneficiaries, especially those highly affected by the awful pandemic situation in the region.
Belinda Adil, MSSD Provincial Social Welfare Officer (PSWO) said, the ministry has five major programs, which aim to aid the marginalized and disadvantaged sector of society. These programs include family and community welfare program, women welfare program, child and youth welfare program, program for the welfare of older persons (senior citizens) and persons with disabilities, and emergency assistance program.
Adil said the BSK is a livelihood program under the family and welfare program of the ministry, which has a target of 747 beneficiaries province-wide for this year.
The eleven municipalities of this province such as Bongao, Panglima Sugala, Sapa-Sapa, Sibutu, Simunul, Sitangkai, Tabawan, Tandubas, have been allotted with 68 beneficiaries each, except for Turtle Island with only 65 identified beneficiaries.
“This program is intended for indigent families and also targets beneficiaries belonging to Code 26 Pantawid families, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to include the Returning Filipinos (REFs), and other marginalized families in need of MSSD assistance,” Adil said.
The BSK, Adil said, as a livelihood program entailed beneficiaries to undergo specific skills training aimed to sustain their revenue after completing the short term training.
“This is actually an alternative program since most of the beneficiaries are engaged in their existing livelihood such as farming, so while waiting for their harvest, they could use their skills to continuously provide their family with a continuous income,” the PSWO added.
“Each participant or beneficiary would receive a seed capital assistance of P15,000.00, after the completion of the skills training, Adil said.
“On Women and Welfare Program, may BSK din po, may Bangsamoro sagip kabuhayan livelihood din. Ang participants o target beneficiaries ay 343 women all distributed sa lahat ng munisipyo,” Adil added.
Beneficiaries under older persons and persons with disability have already received their stipends, and there are 193 youth beneficiaries under Child and Youth Welfare Program identified for BSK.
Adil also said that this assistance is a component of the second batch BSK program. “The first batch, which was implemented last year listed 157 beneficiaries per municipality that was more or less over a 1,000 beneficiaries throughout the province,” the PSWO added. (Bangsamoro Information Office)
