Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Central Luzon continues to provide livelihood aid to potential and existing entrepreneurs amid the pandemic.
DTI Regional Director Leonila Baluyut said they have several programs for micro, small, and medium enterprises not only to help them survive but also to help them continue to grow.
“We continuously distribute livelihood kits to beneficiaries from different sectors. Especially now that we are in the midst of a pandemic, it is very important for people to have a source of livelihood so that they can continue to provide their family’s basic needs. We usually provide them with raw materials to improve and sustain their livelihood,” she said.
Among their programs is the Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa (PPG) which is a livelihood seeding program for former rebels to help them restart again.
As a member of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, DTI implemented the PPG program in Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and Zambales.
“Since the program’s inception last year, we had 328 beneficiaries. Of these, 87 are from Aurora; 209 in Nueva Ecija; 16 in Pampanga; and 16 in Zambales. They were provided with livelihood packages worth P2.77 million to help them mainstream in the society,” she said.
Baluyut also mentioned about the Livelihood Seeding Program – Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay (LSP-NSB) which is aimed at helping community members in the barangays revive their livelihood through the provision of livelihood kits and appropriate training.
For the LSP-NSB, she said that a total of 5,965 livelihood kits worth P45.12 million were distributed to micro entrepreneurs in the region.
“This year, majority of our beneficiaries are from the province of Aurora. This is one of the hardest hit by the quarantine restrictions as a significant part of its economy is tourism-based. The LSP-NSB also helps the pandemic hit microenterprises in the countryside recover their livelihood,” she said.
Aside from the livelihood kits, DTI also provides training on entrepreneurial skills, coaching, and mentoring to its beneficiaries. (PIA 3)
