Institute for Labor Studies Executive Director Ahmma Charisma Lobrin-Satumba joins officials of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for a site visit of the ongoing pilot implementation of the Graduation Approach Project in Talisay, Negros Occidental.

The DOLE officials was headed by Assistant Secretary Alex V. Avila, together with Director Adeline T. De Castro of the Planning Service, Director Warren Miclat of the Finance and Management Service, along with ILS Acting Division Chief Maria Isabel Artajo and Bureau of Workers with Special Concenrs representatives Ms. Maria Lourdes Gonzales and Zydney Lanz Cresino.

DOLE, in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and BRAC as the technical assistance provider, has launched an 18-month Graduation pilot program in July 2018 targeting 1,200 poor household-beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in 30 barangays across five (5) municipalities in Negros Occidental. The pilot aims to provide participant households with a comprehensive and sequenced set of interventions to put them on track of sustainable and resilient livelihoods.

The pilot project combines the strengths of the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) also known as the Kabuhayan program with Graduation additions designed to aid the progress of participating households out of poverty.

The Institute for Labor Studies (ILS) is the policy research and advocacy arm of the Department of Labor and Employment. For more information on this story, please contact the Advocacy and Publications Division at 527-3490.