CEBU VICE GOV. Agnes A. Magpale led the signing recently of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) with a women’s organization based in the northern town of Carmen to improve the group’s livelihood programs.
“From the 10 sacks of rice turned over to Bugasan sa Kababayen-an in Carmen, now they are a million-worth organization,” Magpale told the more than two dozen women officials who attended the MOA signing.
The Bugasan sa Kababayen-an is a PWC-initiated livelihood program that aims to transform simple housewives to entrepreneurs by making them rice dealers. Aside from the Bugasan program, the Provincial Women’s Commission (PWC) co-chaired by Magpale also introduced other alternative livelihood programs, such as swine fattening, meat processing, and cacao processing. The beneficiaries, who are members of associations, underwent a series of training for these new initiatives.
To put their new skills into practice, Magpale, together with the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), provided tools and starter kits to several women’s organizations from six municipalities earlier today.
Meat processing tools have been given to the group in Minglanila town; cacao-processing equipment to Balamban; while swine fattening tools to the towns of Alcantara, San Remigio, Poro and Carmen. For the swine fattening, each town is set to receive 10 piglets from the Capitol, through the PSWDO, aside from the tools given to them.
Magpale said each piglets is priced at at P2,500. During the ceremony, Anecita Rodriguez signed for Minglanilla, Lucina Milan for Balamban, Pedrilina Salingbongcogon for Carmen, Elizabeth Libato for Alcantara, Gemma Marie Guinocor for Poro, and Amparo Dumoran for San Remigio. Most of the women’s associations present in the ceremony are members of the Kalipunan ng Liping Filipina (KALIPI), a national women’s federation. (Oscar Pineda)
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