Butuan City — Big number of far-village community folks at various areas in the Caraga region have benefited of the government’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).
SLP is a community-based capacity building program aimed at improving the participants’ socio-economic status. First, it supports micro-enterprises to become organizationally and economically viable. Second, it also links participants to employment opportunities.
Todate, at least 18,972 Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries are already served by SLP implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-Caraga Region 13).
Each beneficiary was also provided a capital seed fund, based on their proposed project.
Many SLP beneficiaries have uplifted their living conditions.
In San Luis, Agusan del Sur, a place near the giant Agusan River, beneficiaries of SLP’s fish cage project is successful.
With the help of technical men from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR-13) on new technology on Tilapia Cage Culture Production through trainings, the SLP beneficiaries increased their production.
The design of the fish cage is not rooted or embedded into the land that allows water to flow. So, rain or shine the water in the pond is in normal level. Tilapia Cage Culture Project produces 8,000 or more tilapia per pond. The value-added products from tilapia are imbutido, lumpia, fish nuggets, fish chicharon, burger patty, dried fish, polvoron and fish balls.
For now, the SLP’s beneficiary’s main customer is the LGU of San Luis and other neighboring areas in the region.

Source: Manila Bulletin - November 30, 2013