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[av_heading heading=’From laborers to bizmen: Oton farmers, fishers test business skills’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”][/av_heading]
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Monday, May 1, 2017
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ILOILO – Farmers and fishermen in Barangay Trapiche, Oton town are venturing into a livelihood project worth P500 thousand.
Numbering to 45, they were members of the Movement for Agrarian and Rural Advancement (MARA). Their seed capital was from the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) through the PAyapa at MAsaganangPamayaNAn (PAMANA).
On behalf of members, MARA president Manny Cabalonga Jr. received the seed capital for their rice trading, trisikad, fishing boat and for the establishment of their trading post where they could sell chickens and hog feeds.
Through series of community consultations, the participants identified the need for additional financial capital for their market-driven and resource-based production of goods and services that will supply the need of the locality, said Perla Haro, chief of DSWD-6’s Institutional Development Division.
The beneficiaries have existing livelihoods that have been operational for not less than 10 years, Haro revealed.
“The group agreed to consolidate their livelihood projects into an integrated micro-enterprise that will be managed by the association,” said Haro.
A lot space was provided by the barangay and the local government of Oton to be used as a terminal for trisikads and trading post.
The association will also establish a community-managed credit and savings facility that will provide access to basic financial services to members and non-members alike.
Of the 45 MARA members, eight were beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and 37 were identified poor through DSWD’s Listahanan database. They were grateful for the business opportunity and promised to sustain and expand their livelihood project. (Montesa Caoyonan, DSWD-6/PN)
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