BONTOC, Mountain Province – Forty-three individuals who are residing in End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) barangays in this municipality received their livelihood kits from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)–Mountain Province on September 15, 2022, at the Bontoc Municipal Capitol with the beneficiaries coming from Barangays Dalican, Mainit, Guina-ang, Can-eo, and Talubin.
The livelihood kit provision initiative is part of the Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa (PPG) program of the DTI, which aims to capacitate Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by giving them kits containing materials, equipment, and initial stocks to commence and improve their businesses. The PPG specifically assists micro-enterprises affected by fire incidents, any other man-made or natural disasters and calamities, residents of ELCAC barangays, and health pandemics such as the COVID-19, which gravely affected the economic sector.
According to DTI-Mountain Province, the livelihood kits received by each beneficiary amounts to P8, 000. The components contained in the kits depend upon the needs identification and nature of the business ventures the beneficiaries are engaged in. Among the kits awarded to the PPG beneficiaries are sari-sari store kits, weaving kits, baking kits, and food processing kits.
DTI-Mountain Province Provincial Director Mabel Banggawan relayed to the beneficiaries the other programs of the agency that they may avail themselves of to foster business development such as capacity building and product development.
Bontoc Mayor Jerome “Chagsen” Tudlong, Jr., in his message thanked the DTI for the assistance provided to the MSMEs who are starting to recover from the impact of the pandemic.
“It is our fervent hope that this program will help improve the living conditions in the ELCAC barangays. Through this program, our constituents will see and appreciate the commitment of the government in bringing its service to the grassroots, the community,” Tudlong remarked.
Likewise, the mayor urged the beneficiaries to take good care of the livelihood kits provided to them and manage their businesses productively until they will flourish.
Tudlong added that the municipal government continuously collaborates with national government agencies and other stakeholders to source funds to help in the recovery of local enterprises in the municipality.
This is aligned with the roadmap of his administration in three years- “ENLANGAKHA: Achieving the Vision for a Dynamic Bontoc”.
One of its four pillars is Economic Empowerment which focuses on the promotion of organic agriculture; recovery of local enterprises; boost of sustainable tourism; promotion of green infrastructure.
Also present during the activity are the Program Coordinator and SME Development Division Head Gloria Bagayas, other personnel from the DTI-Mountain Province, and representatives from the Philippine Army.