Stories of some beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) programs and services from Bohol province were highlighted during the holding of the Pre-SONA Forum in Cebu City on Thursday.
For Genoveva “Ebeng” Castro of Buenavista, Bohol, she felt pride and honor that she was invited to the occasion.
“Nalipay ko nga gi-imbitar ko nga maka-attend aning okasyon miskin usa ra ako ka yano nga tawo ug makakita sa mga dagkong opisyales sa atong gobyerno (I am happy that I was invited to attend this occasion despite being an ordinary citizen and I was able to see high officials of the government),” said Castro, a Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) partner-beneficiary.
Genoveva is also a program-participant of DSWD’S Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) which provided her a livelihood training and a new handloom machine for her raffia weaving business.
“Nindot nga makakita ta ani aron masayud ta unsay nabuhat sa gobyerno (It is good that we have witnessed this activity for us to know the updates of what the government has been doing and its accomplishments),” added Ebeng.
Another beneficiary who attended the Pre-SONA is Ma. Luna Furog of Poblacion Talibon Association for Sustainable Livelihood in Talibon, Bohol.
She has the same remarks as Ebeng’s and expressed that these good accomplishments of the government shall continue.
“Mas nindot nga mapadayun kining mga programa ug madungagan pa ang angayan matabangan (It would be better if these programs will continue and will add more beneficiaries especially those who are in dire need),” Ma. Luna said.
The Poblacion Talibon Association for Sustainable Livelihood was awarded 2 nd place in the Gawad Usbong under the market category of micro-enterprise development (MD) track during the Sulong Bayanihan 2019 of the SLP.
These social programs that helped its beneficiaries were only among the accomplishments that DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista mentioned during his report as chair of the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cluster (HDPRC).
The Pre-SONA Forum yesterday was the second leg of the three-part fora which aims to be a venue for the public to be informed of the achievements under the present administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Duterte is slated to deliver his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22.//