In celebration of the 14th anniversary of the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is set to formally turnover 20 electric buses to various SLP associations (SLPAs) of persons with disabilities on Friday (June 27) at the Amoranto Sports Complex in Quezon City.
“Tomorrow we will turn over the 20 electric buses doon sa mga asosasyon na in-establish ng SLP, composed of persons with disabilities, blessing na rin po sya,” Division Chief Marife Leon of the DSWD’s SLP told reporters during the DSWD Thursday Media Forum on June 26 at the Central Office’s New Press Center in Quezon City.
The initiative, under the SLP’s Persons with Disabilities – Electric Transportation Service (PWD-ETS) Project, is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to create more safe spaces and livelihood opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Through the PWD-ETS Project, the DSWD provided livelihood grants to SLPAs composed entirely of persons with disabilities to help them establish and manage their own electric transport service.
Each SLPA is composed of 115 members from 10 local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila.
According to DC Leon, the persons with disabilities members of the SLPAs are directly responsible for operating and managing the e-buses, in close coordination with the service provider Global Electric Transport (GET) Philippines Incorporated.
The GET Philippines also extended financial assistance—half of the price of the e-buses—to the associations as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR).
“Ngayon po ay corporate service siya pero ito pong 20 buses, ang ine-envision namin ay maging public transport siya so we are coordinating with agencies na pwedeng makatulong para maging public transport na ito,” the SLP DC pointed out.
Nilo Delos Reyes, president of the Alliance of Persons with Disabilities (APWD) in Caloocan and one of the SLPA members who will receive the bus unit during the turnover, said the project will help the association sustain their livelihood and provide accessible transport services for fellow persons with disabilities.
“Ito pong e-bus ay pangmatagalan talaga na programa ng DSWD. Bukas ay i-turnover na yung bus namin, naniniwala ako na mas malaking income ang makukuha namin. Kaya maraming-maraming salamat po sa ating secretary, Secretary Rex Gatchalian at sa pamunuan ng DSWD,” APWD President Delos Reyes said.
Apart from persons with disabilities associations, other SLPAs will also be present during the anniversary celebration to showcase their livelihood products. (YADP)