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BAGUIO CITY — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office I, in partnership with the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF)-North Luzon Regional Office led by Regional Director Atty. Raihanah Sarah T. Macarimpas through the Socio-Economic Development Division, successfully conducted the awarding of Seed Capital Funds (SCF) under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) to qualified Muslim beneficiaries in the 6th District Pangasinan.
This initiative was made possible through joint profiling, validation, and needs assessments, which were conducted by both agencies, DSWD FO1 headed by Ms. Grace Dela Cruz and NCMF NL SEDD Team composed of Acting Chief Engr. Fatimah M. Calbe and Ms. Norjannah M. Binatak, to ensure that the livelihood support was appropriately targeted and responsive to the actual needs of the community.
The primary objective of this activity was to provide financial assistance to eligible Muslim constituents for the establishment or enhancement of their micro-enterprises. Its aimed is to uplift the socio-economic conditions of the beneficiaries by providing them with the necessary capital to start or expand small-scale businesses.
The initiative also sought to strengthen the collaboration between NCMF NL and DSWD FO I, ensuring a more efficient and culturally sensitive approach to livelihood support. Involved in the profiling are house-to-house interviews, community consultations, and verifications to confirm the eligibility of beneficiaries under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP). Based on the results, a final list of beneficiaries was prepared, focusing on households with clear and viable livelihood proposals.
Formal awarding of the Seed Capital Fund took place on November 24, 2025, in Tayug, Pangasinan. During the ceremony, each beneficiary received their seed capital fund amounting to Php7,000 each along with a comprehensive orientation on fund utilization, monitoring, and sustainability requirements.
In addition, RD Macarimpas provided valuable insights on Islamic-compliant livelihood practices, further empowering the beneficiaries with knowledge on managing their businesses in a culturally aligned manner.
A total of 104 beneficiaries were awarded Seed Capital Funds, amounting to a total of Php728,000. The livelihood projects supported ranged from retail and trading businesses to food vending, tailoring, and other small-scale services.
Beneficiaries provided positive feedback in relation with the activity as they expressed gratitude for the opportunity to improve their livelihoods. However, it was also observed that additional capacity-building sessions, such as financial literacy and enterprise management training, would be beneficial for ensuring the sustainability of the businesses established through the Seed Capital Fund.
It is recommended that follow-up monitoring and additional capacity-building activities be conducted to further ensure the sustainability of the livelihood projects, and that the partnership between DSWD FO I and NCMF NL be expanded to cover more areas in the future.
The NCMF North Luzon extended its sincere appreciation to the DSWD-FO1 SLP Team headed by their Provincial Monitoring and Evaluation officer Francis Bustamante and Provincial Partnership officer Ms. Grace Dela Cruz for their invaluable support and collaboration in the successful conduct of the Seed Capital Fund Awarding activity for Muslim Filipino beneficiaries.
Likewise, the Commission also extended its gratitude to Congresswoman Atty. Marlyn Agabas of 6th District Pangasinan and Mayor Atty. Tyrone D. Agabas of Tayug for their warm welcome and steadfast commitment to supporting inclusive and community-driven development efforts. (/)