The first recipient was the Phoenix OFW Association in Barangay Maligue which received a total of Php168,000 pesos for their hog-raising project –an endeavor that obtained technical support from the City Veterinarian’s Office. Meanwhile, the second beneficiary was the Tabuk-Sunset OFW Association where its P100,000 worth of endowment will fund its water-refilling enterprise.

Officiating the turnover were Assistant Regional Director for DOLE IX Imelda F. Gatinao, Supervising LEO, Isabela City Field Office Head Maria Elena T. Alabata, and OWWA Field Officer for Isabela City Sattar Yusup. In her short remarks, ARD Gatinao highlighted the various programs of her agency that are meant to help returning overseas Filipino workers displaced by the pandemic such as DOLE-AKAP for OFWs, Tabang OFW and Project EASE. The aforementioned monetary deed was done under the auspices of the Tulong Pangkabuhayan Para sa Pag-unlad ng Samahang OFWs or TULONG Puso. It is a DOLE-OWWA project implemented to aid distressed OFWs who plan to stay in the country and build a business, specifically OFW organizations or OFW groups.

Meanwhile, Mayor Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman made the commitment that the DOLE beneficiaries shall be enrolled at HAPIsaBida Program for coaching in bookkeeping, entrepreneurship, financial literacy and other skills needed to grow their business. It can be recalled that microfinancing and financial literacy are cornerstones of the socio-economic agenda of the Turabin-Hataman in its aim to realize a happy and dignified life for all Isabeleños.