20
The right to social security of the workers in the informal economy/ sector
3. Medium Livelihood - An organization composed of more than 50 members can avail of a
maximum grant assistance of P1,000.000.00.50
Ms. Gonzales averred that “an organization managing a group project should have a
Project Management Team and profit-sharing scheme, which should be both stipulated in the
business plan/proposal and the Memorandum of Agreement.”51
The eligible beneficiaries of this program include almost all sectors, as Ms. Gonzales
claimed. They are the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa beneficiaries, dependents of personnel
killed/wounded in action (KIA/WIA) or killed/wounded in police operations KIPO/WIPO,
families/dependents of recovering drug dependents, former rebels, and former violent
extremist, indigenous peoples, low-waged and seasonal workers, marginalized fisherfolk,
marginalized and landless farmers, parents of child laborers, persons with disability, selfemployed with insufficient income, s Senior Citizens, unpaid family workers, victims of armed
conflicts, workers displaced or to be displaced, and working women and youth.
It is worthy to note that the DOLE puts a premium on the human rights issues involving
child labor and is involved in child labor prevention and elimination program. Thus, the
DOLE’s policy is that the regional offices should ensure that no children of the livelihood
beneficiaries are engaged in child labor.
As of writing, other priority projects of the DOLE are the following:
1. Priorities of the Regional Development Council (RDC), Regional Convergence
Committee (RCC), and Regional Development Plan of LGUs;
2. Key Employment Generators;
3. DTI priority products;
4. Microlending projects;
5. Project with construction workers; and
6. Projects that would require the purchase of motor vehicles.
Ms. Gonzales stressed that the DOLE is very lenient in approving the proposed projects
of the beneficiaries. For instance, she explained, that when a fisherfolk proposes a project
which does not necessarily fall within the priorities of the RDC, they still extend assistance as
long as the project is feasible.
50
51
Id.
Consultation with the representatives of the national government agencies, supra note 40.