The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Cordillera allocated P 73.3 million worth of livelihood assistance for Itogon, Benguet’s internal displaced persons (IDPs).
IDPs from Itogon’s nine barangays needed the livelihood assistance after a massive landslide caused by Typhoon Ompong occurred in Level 070 of Barangay Ucab which was further aggravated by heavy rains brought by Typhoon Rosita.
Following this, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources banned all small-scale mining in the country resulting in loss of livelihood of Filipino miners including Itogon residents.
Since then and the first release of the financial assistance made from November 2018 to May 2019, DSWD-CAR has already provided P 31.68 million of livelihood assistance to 1,584 individuals.
According to DWSD-CAR regional director Janet Armas, the remaining P 41.62 million has yet to be released to the other 2,081 IDPs of the mining town.
In order to gather information on the possible livelihood assistance fit for each affected families, DSWD launched a series of assessments that started from September to November 2018 through its Sustainable Livelihood Program.
Armas added that together with the Department of Trade and Industry Cordillera with the Implementing Project Development Office’s lead, they conducted basic livelihood trainings where basic book keeping and financial literacy were discussed to further help the IDPs in Itogon.
