By Rebecca G. Cadavos

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte (4 October) -- At least thirty beneficiaries from Barangay Malapoc Norte here received a capital assistance recently from the provincial government through Honorable Rosette Y. Lerias under the Self Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K), program of the National government.

Provincial Development Officer II Charlita Alapag of the Prov’l Social Welfare Office(PSWO) during a phone interview said that the Magtinabangay SEA-K Association from Malapoc Norte were given financial assistance worth Php 5,000.00 each totaling to Php 150,000.00. Majority of the members were graduates from the Food Processing and Preservation Training facilitated by the PSWO at the Productivity Skills Capability Building (PSCB) resource center in Brgy. Asuncion, Maasin City.

Alapag revealed that the group which are still in the first level of participating the program will be assessed, evaluating how they managed their livelihood projects. They will be considered member of the SEA-K cooperative after they passed the assessment. By then, second level of financial assistance will proceed, allowing them to increase their loanable amount from the cooperative with a maximum amount of Php 15,000.00.

The SEA-K beneficiaries through their cooperative bank required their clients to return the loaned amount with a 1.5% interest payable within two years, Alapag reported. These organized groups will be trained at the PSCB resource center owned and controlled by the Provincial government. Equipments found at the center like dryer, grinder, kitchenwares among others will be used during the training were donated by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) amounting about Php 3 million, Alapag added.

It was learned that SEA-K was organized in each municipality throughout Southern Leyte including Maasin City which has the biggest capital build-up amounting to Php 700,000.00 consolidated from 332 women-beneficiaries from different barangays of the city.