Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian hands over on Tuesday (March 25) Php38M-worth of checks to 91 Sustainable Livelihood Program Associations (SLPAs) from the 5th and 6th Districts of Pangasinan.

The amount serves as seed capital grant under the DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) which will benefit 1,617 local farmers and 361 vendors who comprise the SLPAs.

The distribution was held side-by-side with the inauguration and turn-over ceremony of the Rosales Agricultural Trading Center, a project spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Abono Partylist, and the local government units of Rosales town and Pangasinan province.

The seed capital from the DSWD seeks to assist local farmers and vendors as they start their agri-business and explore livelihood opportunities at the new agri-trading center.

Also present at the event were DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and DA Regional Office 1 Director John Pascual; Governor Ramon Guico III and Vice Governor Mark Ronald Labino of Pangasinan; Representative Robert Raymund Estrella of Abono Partylist; and Municipal Mayor William Cezar of Rosales.

Joining Secretary Gatchalian is DSWD Field Office 1 – Ilocos Regional Director Marie Angela Gopalan. (LSJ)