ILOILO – A total of 2,191 Antiqueños living along the shorelines and mountains of Antique’s 13 municipalities received P43,946,432 worth of livelihood assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office 6 (DOLE-6) through its Antique Field Office (AnFO).
“We double our efforts in reaching the members of the marginalized sector in the remote areas of the province,’’ said regional director Cyril Ticao. “Their location and economic situation are most fitting of an assistance, especially during this crisis.”
The beneficiaries were mostly farmers, small vendors, women, fisherfolks, animal raisers, and seasonal workers with an insufficient and unstable source of income.
“Along with the financial assistance, the regional office assisted the beneficiaries to identify livelihood projects suited to their environment,” according to AnFO head Carmela Abellar. “This is to ensure sustainability and high economic returns.”
Recipients from Sibalom and San Remigio received P6,895,680 and P6,631,800 in livelihood assistance, respectively, for vegetable farming, poultry raising, rice retailing, and carpentry projects.
The two municipalities’ mountainous terrain also makes it conducive to carabao raising and hog and cattle fattening.
The livelihood assistance was also scattered to the coastal municipalities of Sebaste (P1,141,808), Hamtic (P4,701,896), Pandan (P2,771,232), Bugasong (P2,508,000), Barbaza (P4,213,408), Patnongon (P4,088,576), Valderrama (P2,074,176), Tibiao (P2,373,224), Anini-y (P2,114,064), San Jose de Buenavista (P4,128,408) and Barangay Igcalawaganin, Tobias Fornier (P304,160).
Those who live along the coast and in large communities engaged in a fish vending project. They were given fishing gear and assistance for the enhancement of their fishing bancas.
Other beneficiaries ventured into sari-sari stores, fruit vending, bread and pastry making, tailoring, frozen foods retailing, and other businesses with a potential market in the area./PN
