Pres. Arroyo designates SSS Prexy Neri as CLEEP steward for NorMin

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has designated Social Security System (SSS) President Romulo V. Neri as the Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP) steward for Northern Mindanao.

As such, he is tasked to oversee and ensure the implementation of CLEEP programs and projects in the particular provinces of the region as specified by the President in her memorandum to all cabinet members dated January 6, this year.

Generally, CLEEP aims to protect the most vulnerable sectors, such as, the poor, hungry, returning expatriates, workers in the export industry, out of school youth, etc. from threatened consequences of reduced or lost income resulting from the globe economic crisis.

Specifically, however, CLEEP aims to fund and supervise livelihood projects that is immediate and hire for emergency employment that requires little or no skill or education and engages short-time that allows workers to obtain more than one job.

The programs, projects and activities under the CLEEP are aligned to super region priorities in Agribusiness Mindanao, North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle, Tourism Center of the Philippines, Luzon Urban Beltway, Cyber Corridor and the needs of the 12 poorest and 12 most food-poor provinces of the country including that of the National Capital Region (NCR).

These provinces include those of Tawi-tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, Maguindanao, Shariff Kabunsuan, Apayao, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Lanao del Sur, Northern Samar, Masbate, Abra and Misamis Occidental.

Likewise, considered the most food-poor provinces are Zamboanga del Norte, Tawi-tawi, Northern Samar, Apayao, Masbate, Agusan del Sur, Maguindanao, Shariff Kabunsuan, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Island, Kalinga & Surigao del Sur.

Meanwhile, all provinces in the Agribusiness Mindanao super region will be implementing projects to generate employment in the farm-to-market roads (FMR) construction and maintenance, organic fertilizer production, goat dispersal and micro-finances for beneficiaries of the Comprehensive Agriculture

Reform Program (CARP).

In region 10, the CLEEP projects include the repairs of irrigated rice lands and implementation of “Bantay Gubat” in the provinces of Bukidnon and Lanao del Norte. (Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob, Philippine Information Agency, region 10)

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