Vice President and HUDCC Chairman Noli “Kabayan” de Castro has ordered the continuous implementation of livelihood projects particularly for families relocated to off-city resettlement sites to help them cope with their economic needs in their new environment.  Since 2004, government has relocated more than 90,000 families affected by infrastructure projects as well as those displaced by Typhoon Ondoy to near-city and off-city resettlement sites.

“Ituloy natin ang Kabuhayan sa Komunidad or KSK,” de Castro said.  “Dapat nating tulungan ang ating mga kababayan para maiayos sila sa kanilang bagong pamumuhay,” he added.

The KSK, which is implemented in coordination with non-government organizations and other government agencies, like the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority or TESDA, gives scholarship for work and livelihood support for food and employment.

More than 15,000 relocatees have undergone skills training, and nearly 5,000 have been assisted in job placement.  Under TESDA’s Pangulong Gloria Scholarship Program, 540 relocatees have graduated and 550 more are enrolled in easy-employment courses like care-giving, barista, and slaughtering.

Urban gardening and sasso chicken raising have also provided ready food source to the families participating in the program.  The sasso chicken growers are assisted by the Los Pueblos Foundation, through guaranteed buy-back arrangement.  Microfinance was availed of by nearly 6,000 relocatees to help start up small businesses, and parallel with it are medical and dental services and values formation and capacity building programs for all communities.