LAGAWE, Ifugao – Livelihood assistance amounting to P4,070,500.00 under the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan- Memorandum of Agreement (PAMANA-MOA) program of the government was finally turned over to the Hibla People’s Organization (HPO) to bankroll the implementation of its civic-oriented projects geared towards uplifting the living condition of the members of the group.
Governor Dennis Habawel handed the checks amounting to P1,260,000.00 and P2,810,500.00 to HPO representatives Hazel Gayamo and Ceferino Ballogan during a recent meeting at the Provincial Capitol here and reminded the representatives to make sure that the funds will be appropriately used for the upliftment of the living condition of the people in the remote villages of the province.
The turn-over ceremony was witnessed by Provincial Treasurer Samuel Marinay and Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Joseline Niwane who is also the Focal Person of the PAMANA-MOA program.
The livelihood projects to be funded by said amount include a One Stop Auto Shop, microlending and heavy equipment for community assistance, and concrete hollow blocks making for sale.
The assistance is based on the provisions of the closure agreement signed between the Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army (now the Cordillera Forum for Peace and Development) and the Office of the Presidential Assistant on the Peace Process towards the transformation of the CPLA into an unarmed, socio-economic organization.
The Hibla is one of two people’s organizations composed of former CPLA members, who were given technical assistance and training in entrepreneurial development.
Habawel called on the various peoples’ organizations in the province to be actively involved in the implementation of community-based projects geared towards uplifting the living condition of poor people in the countryside.
