DSWD, SLSU Hold Stakeholders’ Forum to Link Livelihood and Academic Solutions

MACROHON, Southern Leyte — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VIII and Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) convened a Stakeholders’ Forum on June 2, 2025, at Kuting Reef Resort, Macrohon, aimed at aligning livelihood initiatives with academic services and expertise. With the theme “Bridging Livelihood Needs with Academic Solutions,” the forum brought together representatives from DSWD, SLSU, and local stakeholders under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).

The program formally opened at 9:00 AM with preliminaries, followed by a welcome message from Dr. Francis Ann R. Sy, Vice President of Research, Innovation, and Extension Services (RIES) of SLSU. Ms. Lieza Noelle D. Malinao, RIES Coordinator for FAS, presented the salient points of the partnership before the ceremonial signing of a Memorandum of Agreement at 10:20 AM. SLSU President Dr. Jude A. Duarte delivered a message of support, highlighting the university’s commitment to extending academic resources for community development. This was followed by words of commitment from DSWD Field Office VIII Regional Director Dir. Grace Q. Subong.

In the afternoon, project presentations showcased existing SLP initiatives. SLSU also introduced campus-based services and training programs relevant to livelihood development. An open discussion and commitment-setting session followed, allowing participants to express support and align efforts. The forum concluded with the distribution of certificates and tokens of appreciation to presenters, and closing remarks from Ms. Maricel L. Espina, SLP Provincial Coordinator. The activity served to strengthen inter-agency collaboration and promote community empowerment through the integration of academic solutions in livelihood programming.