The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has allocated PHP93.906 million in cash aid to hundreds of drought-hit families in three provinces of Western Visayas (Region 6), including Iloilo, Antique and Negros Occidental.

The assistance is being implemented under Project Local Adaptation to Water Access (LAWA) and Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished (BINHI) through the cash-for-training and cash-for-work (CFTW) programs.

As of Thursday, beneficiaries have been identified in 17 areas – Iloilo City and Sara, Ajuy, San Dionisio, Batad and Estancia in Iloilo Province; Barbaza, San Remigio, Sebaste, Sibalom, Tibiao and Valderrama in Antique; and Calatrava, Toboso, Escalante City, Himamaylan City, and San Carlos City in Negros Occidental.

The number of beneficiary-families in each area has not yet been determined pending the completion of validation process.

Project LAWA and BINHI aim to strengthen the adaptive capabilities of poor and vulnerable families during severe drought and mitigating the food insecurity and water scarcity caused by El Niño phenomenon under the DSWD’s Risk Resiliency Program.

Some 400 partner-beneficiaries in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental recently attended the three-day cash-for-training in preparation for the activities in the 15-day cash-for-work on the river easement rehabilitation by planting fruit bearing trees.

They will attend an additional two-day cash-for-training for project sustainability.

Each beneficiary that participates in CFTW activities for 10 to 25 days has a corresponding daily wage based on the prevailing regional daily minimum wage rate range of the project area.

DSWD-6 project development officer III Mylene Binondo discussed the agency’s Risk Resiliency Program with San Carlos City Mayor Renato Gustilo during a courtesy call at the City Mayor’s Office on April 23.

“We thank the mayor for the full support of the city government. We hope the partnership between San Carlos and DSWD continues since many residents benefit from the program,” she added. (PNA)