MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)–As ten more barangays in the less affected area (LAA) here received livelihood packages from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Philippines in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Thursday, July 28, the government called for sustainability among recipient villages.
City Mayor Majul Gandamra said receivers should utilize properly what the benefactors have granted them as this could not come to fruition if they would not do their own part.
“Bagama’t napakaganda ng programang ito, hindi lalago ang magiging negosyo ninyo sa tulong ng packages na ito kung hindi ninyo paghihirapan. Bagkus, ang tunay na tagumpay sa tulong na ito ay nasa inyong mga kamay,” he said.
[Although this program is wonderful, your business will not progress if you will not make an effort. Thus, the true success of this help is in your hands.]
The city mayor has earlier conveyed his gratitude to the IOM and KOICA for giving attention to the LAA as he recognized as well the fact that communities in the area also suffered severely from the historic 2017 siege.
Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) Subcommittee on Business and Livelihood Focal Rasheda Maruhom stressed that the opportunity to get livelihood assistance is rare and does not happen all the time, hence, beneficiaries must make the best out of it by ensuring progress.
Abdulbassit Sabdullah of the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Tourism (MTIT) Lanao del Sur Provincial Office underscored that the donors manifesting their kindness to the LAA by instilling entrepreneurial skills, and pouring full trust and confidence that their project of handing over livelihood packages would flourish, the receiving communities, on the other hand, should give payment through taking accountability and seeing to it that the project is not put in vain.
“We deserve this project na ibinigay sa [given to the] less affected area and para sa akin, kailangan suklian natin ang ibinigay sa atin [for me, we have to give a change to what was given to us] through the effective implementation of the project,” he said.
Sabdullah guaranteed the public that as one of the partners and supporters in providing livelihood being an economic agency, they are always on standby to support in any relevant means.
Meanwhile, the city government’s Public Employment Service Office Head of Office Cabsaran Pacasum Jr. underlined that despite the positive side of the distribution of community livelihood packages, he saw that the sustainability of such would be an issue which made him appeal to the benefactors to extend more aid.
“Nabanggit ko na pwede, hindi lang dito magtatapos. Tulungan pa nila sa ibang mga bagay [I mentioned that if possible, this will not end here. They can hopefully help in other things]. I am asking the IOM to register all the community working groups so that if there will be other interventions, makakakuha sila [they will get something],” he said.
###
