GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 13 May) – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Region 12 has partnered with the region’s education sector for the monitoring of its continuing livelihood initiatives in the area.
Ofelia Domingo, DOLE Region 12 director, said they have signed memorandum of agreements (MOA) with 14 colleges, universities and technical-vocational institutions to help strengthen the implementation of the DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP) in the region.
She said the educational institutions will specifically take the lead in the monitoring and evaluation of various local programs and projects under the DILEEP.
“They will help us monitor the implemented livelihood projects and document its successful beneficiaries and impact on local communities,” she said.
The 14 institutions are Marvelous College of Technology, Inc., Green Valley College Foundation, St. Alexius College and STI College in Koronadal City; Golden State Colleges in this city; VMC Asian College Foundation, Inc., Sultan Kudarat State University and Notre Dame of Tacurong College in Sultan Kudarat; University of Southern Mindanao, Central Mindanao Colleges, Notre Dame of Midsayap College, Notre dame of Kidapawan College and Southern Baptist College in North Cotabato; and STI in Cotabato City.
The MOA signing was an offshoot of the 4th Regional Career Advocacy Congress in Koronadal City last April 29 hosted by DOLE-12.
Under the MOA, Doming said the 14 institutions will look into the system of implementation of the DILEEP projects and the utilization of the released grants or funding.
“They will feedback to us how these projects are doing or if they’re okay or not,” she said in a press conference.
She said the results of the monitoring and evaluation of the 14 institutions will be presented during the fifth edition of the Regional Career Advocacy Congress next year.
“We’re optimistic that with the help of our partners’ research and development programs, we will be able to gather feedbacks and suggestions that will further improve our service delivery future program beneficiaries,” Domingo said.
The DILEEP seeks to contribute to poverty reduction and reduce vulnerability to risks of the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized workers through emergency employment and promotion of entrepreneurship and community enterprises.
The program’s components are the Kabuhayan or livelihood program and emergency employment program, which is also dubbed Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers or TUPAD.
From January to December last year, DOLE-12 released nearly P47-million worth of grants under the DILEEP.