ZAMBOANGA CITY — A total of 113 individuals from various municipalities in Zamboanga Sibugay Province are now ready to start up their own livelihood projects with the Kabuhayan Starter Kits (KSK) they received from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 9.

Regional Director Atty. Roy L. Buenafe said that DOLE 9 allotted more than 2.2 million pesos for the tools and jigs that make up the kits. These kits were distributed to the beneficiaries over the course of a month, between mid-March to early April 2021 through simple turn-over ceremonies in municipal halls.

DOLE Sibugay Provincial Head Elamsalih H. Ungad reported that of the total number of individuals, 15 were from Ipil, 13 from Titay, 6 from Naga, 9 from Siay, 31 from municipalities of Buug, Alicia and Payao; 12 from Diplahan, 9 from Malangas, 11 from Kabasalan and 7 from RT Lim – all in Zamboanga Sibugay.

The recipients of these kits belong to the informal sector, a number of them are parents of child laborers and persons with disabilities (PWDs) all of which are considered DOLE’s priority sectors when it comes to provision of livelihood assistance.

Dir. Buenafe said that the beneficiaries each received starter kits depending on their skills such as dressmaking, carpentry and commercial cooking.

“The DOLE is very grateful to its partners in the Local Government Units for the continuous patronage and support of our agency’s programs and services most especially in the monitoring of these projects,” Dir. Buenafe said.

The DOLE KSK Project is a livelihood formation strategy that is intended to bring about improved socio-economic well-being of workers in the informal economy, in groups/sectors with special concerns, and displaced wage workers (local and overseas) and their families.The project will provide a livelihood starter KITS consisting of a package of services that will enable the target beneficiaries to start a livelihood undertaking and become self-employed. It aims to engage them in sustainable self-employment through easy to learn livelihood undertakings. END