CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan — A total of 178 families affected by the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Project received livelihood starter kits from the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Provincial Government of Bulacan (PGB) to help restore and improve their sources of income.
The assistance was distributed on September 30, 2026, at the Bulacan Sports Complex in this city during the third batch implementation of the Livelihood Restoration and Improvement Program (LRIP), in partnership with the PGB through the Provincial Public Employment Service Office (PPESO).
Selected beneficiaries were from the City of Malolos and the municipalities of Calumpit, Balagtas, and Marilao who received sari-sari store livelihood packages to help rebuild and strengthen their sources of income affected by the implementation of the Malolos-Tutuban railway project.
They are among the 500 Bulakenyos initially identified by the DOTr under the LRIP, particularly residents whose homes, businesses, and sources of income were affected by the railway project and who were relocated in Northville housing in 2010.
The livelihood packages were provided based on the beneficiaries’ needs, interests, and livelihood preferences wherein previous batches received assistance including frozen goods, carwash packages, ready-to-wear (RTW) products, livestock products and animal feeds, while other beneficiaries opted for sewing machines, karinderya packages, and other livelihood support.
PPESO Head Engr. Egbert R. Robles said that their office also conducted Financial Management Training and Entrepreneurial Development Training for the beneficiaries to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to manage and sustain their livelihood ventures wherein beneficiaries received certificates along with their respective livelihood starter kits.
Further, Governor Daniel R. Fernando reminded the beneficiaries to take good care of the livelihood packages provided by the DOTr and make the most of the assistance by managing and growing their businesses responsibly and encouraged them to treat the starter kits as an opportunity to establish a sustainable source of income that can benefit their families in the long term.
During the activity, DOTr Assistant Secretary Irish “IC” Calaguas emphasized the agency’s commitment to supporting project-affected families while advancing the country’s railway infrastructure program.
“Ito pong livelihood package ay isa po sa priority na programa ng DOTr sa mga tatamaan po ng railway program. Ang priority po ng DOTr ay hindi lamang po mabayaran kayo sa inyong nasirang bahay, hindi lamang po makapagbigay ng bagong relokasyon, [ito po ay para] mabigyan kayo ng pagkakakitaan,” Asec. Calaguas said.
Meanwhile, she also announced that the North-South Commuter Railway is targeted to begin operations in December 2027, which is expected to improve connectivity between Bulacan and Metro Manila upon completion. (UnliNews Online)
