Legazpi city: The Philippine Red Cross (PRC), in collaboration with the Canadian Red Cross, distributed conditional cash grants to 62 individuals from the vulnerable sector to support their livelihood initiatives at the Legazpi City Convention Center on Friday. Bea Aguilar, PRC national project coordinator, announced that each beneficiary received PHP50,000 as the first part of a PHP100,000 grant. The remaining funds are expected to be distributed within the year.

According to Philippines News Agency, the total grant is divided into three tranches: PHP50,000 for the first, PHP30,000 for the second, and PHP20,000 for the third. The beneficiaries hail from the villages of Lapu-Lapu, San Roque, Taysan, Homapon, and Cagbacong. Aguilar highlighted the collaboration with Bicol University (BU) and the local government of Legazpi, where beneficiaries attended 14 sessions and submitted proposals for their livelihood projects.

During the sessions, participants learned how to prepare and present their proposals individually to representatives from PRC, the Canadian Red Cross, and BU. Most projects focus on food production, including piggery, sari-sari stores, and canteens. Aguilar stated that the PRC will continue to monitor the beneficiaries throughout the project implementation phase.

Aguilar noted that one of the key conditions is that the grant must be used exclusively for livelihood purposes. Starting next week, PRC plans to conduct weekly monitoring and financial audits to ensure proper utilization of the funds. She emphasized that the PRC's role extends beyond disaster response, aiming to enhance the livelihoods of people in need.