Officials from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) once again held a dialogue with 15 farmer leaders from the Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson(AMGL)/Liga ng Manggagawang Bukid sa Nueva Ecija (LMB) to provide additional livelihood assistance for the peasant farmers and their families affected by reaper-harvester operations in Guimba, Nueva Ecija.

Earlier this week, DSWD Undersecretary Malou Turalde-Jarabe, Assistant Secretary Lorraine Badoy, Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) Director Amada Pornaras, and Focal Person for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Ron Papag discussed with the group the possible provision of seed capital under the Department’s SLP program.

It can be recalled last year that the Department enrolled the peasant farmers under its Food-for-Work Program (FFWP) to plant vegetables in exchange of Family Food Packs (FFPs) which led to the establishment of communal vegetable gardens across several barangays in Guimba.

For her part, DSWD Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo expressed the willingness of the DSWD to provide additional assistance to the farmers and has already directed the Department’s Promotive Programs Group to hold a manual validation of the members of the LMB for livelihood support.

“Ang DSWD po ay nakikiisa at handang magbahagi ng tulong sa mga pesanteng magsasaka na patuloy na lumalaban para sa kanilang mga karapatan sa lupang sinasaka. Ito po ay bahagi ng walang halong katiwalian at patas na serbisyo na ibinibigay ng ahensya sa bawat sektor ng lipunan (The DSWD is supportive of the plight of the farmers and is ready to provide assistance to them. This is in line with the agency’s mandate to provide a corrupt-free and equal type of service to all sectors of the society),” she said. ###