ILOILO – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) opened more livelihood opportunities to the marginalized sector and those displaced by the pandemic in Antique to alleviate the impact of coronavirus disease 2019.
A total of P5,823,648 worth of financial assistance for various livelihood projects was recently released by the DOLE Regional Office 6 through its Antique Field Office (AnFO). Some 292 members of San Jose Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SJMPC) in San Jose de Buenavista, Antique, are expected to benefit from those projects.
“We see the current economic situation of the displaced and self-employed marginalized workers during these times of the pandemic,” regional director Cyril Ticao said.
“DOLE provided this assistance with empathy and compassion, and we are positive that the livelihood projects could alleviate their living conditions,’’ he added.
One of the projects is the frozen foods retailing of 22 cooperative members. Mostly small vendors, each received P20,000 worth of frozen foods package and are starting to make their businesses grow.
Nancy Tejares, a self-employed person with a disability, was elated upon receiving the merchandise.
“Salamat gid sa DOLE sa pagtugro kang livelihood project. Hanggud gid nga bulig diya sa akon kag sa akon pamilya especially sa ka dya nga pandemya,” according to Tejares.
For Noel de la Peña, the livelihood assistance came as a blessing and very timely for a displaced worker like him, who just lost his job as a contractual worker. He said that the frozen food package is a big lift to his online selling business now that he is jobless.
AnFO Head Carmela Abellar reminded the beneficiaries to be responsible in managing the livelihood projects given to them.
“Not everyone has the opportunity to receive such kind of support from the government. What gives us satisfaction as public servants is to see our beneficiaries taking care of the projects entrusted to them and seeing it grow,” she pointed out.
SJMPC chairman Rodalyn Llavan expressed her gratitude to DOLE for the undertaking. She said: “During this time of crisis, we helped our members avail of various livelihood projects from the government through our partnership with DOLE.”
She encouraged the members to be responsible and to take care of what was entrusted to them by the government.
Other beneficiaries also engaged in various livelihood projects such as carinderia, refreshment, hog fattening, and street food vending.(DOLE-6/PN)
