Sustainable Livelihood Program

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) empowers poor families through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), a community-based capacity building effort that seeks to improve the program participants’ socio-economic status.

SLP is implemented through two tracks: Micro-enterprise Development and Employment Facilitation. The Micro-enterprise Development track supports micro-enterprises in becoming organizationally and economically viable, whereas the Employment Facilitation track assists participants to access appropriate employment opportunities. Both tracks are executed based on the Community-Driven Enterprise Development (CDED) approach, which equips program participants to actively contribute to production and labor markets by looking at available resources and accessible markets.

It was during the Aquino administration that DSWD strengthened its partnership with public and private sectors through 963 SLP projects.  These projects increased the economic opportunities of the families by strengthening values and skills formation; increasing access to credit, savings and micro-insurance; improving product development and marketing; and providing pre-employment training and direct employment.

Among DSWD’s partner-agencies are the Departments of Agriculture (DA), Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Interior and Local Government (DILG), Labor and Employment (DOLE), Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Science and Technology (DOST), Tourism (DOT), Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).