CEBU CITY - The Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (DOLE-7) has awarded a livelihood grant of PHP500,000 to the Small Coconut Farmers and Farm Workers Association of Tabuelan town in northern Cebu. The grant provides working capital to support the association's cattle fattening project, with 15 heads of cattle as a starter, DOLE-7 regional director Salome Siaton said in a statement on Friday. Aside from this project, the association is also engaged in cattle dispersal, and free-range chicken and goat raising. The cattle fattening project was chosen for the grant because of the sufficiency of resources and guaranteed market. This endeavor is made possible through the DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP) under its Kabuhayan program component, which is the department's contribution to the government agenda of inclusive growth through massive job generation and poverty reduction. The Kabuhayan program or the DILEEP provides grant assistance for the livelihood and entrepreneurial ventures of vulnerable and marginalized workers. The organization received the amount as it is the maximum amount allocated for livelihood grants that fall under the small livelihood category. DOLE-Cebu officer-in-charge Vivencio Lagahid Seymoun Hamoy facilitated the awarding of the grant to group president Amelita Jugan. Jugan said they are grateful to DOLE-7 for providing a source of additional income to their members. (PNA) }