LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Preparations are underway for the kick-off of the livelihood training venture for women from Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities and coastal areas organized by the Local Councils of Women (LCW) – Pangasinan Chapter.
LCW Pangasinan Chair Marilyn S. Sison said that the ‘Orientation Seminar on Skills and Product Enhancement’ set on September 21-22 at the President Hotel in Lingayen serves as the kick-off of their livelihood training for IP and coastal women.
“This activity is an offshoot of the 1st Gayak Pangasinan ‘Women Leaders for a Cause’, a fund-raising event conducted by the LCW on April 7 at the Sison Auditorium in partnership with its development partners,” Sison said.
“We seek to help level up the socio-economic condition of the beneficiaries by having this LCW – Pangasinan – led project,” Sison added.
Extending the all-out support of the provincial government to the advocacies bannered by LCW, Governor Amado I. Espino, III has instructed the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office to provide the society of women leaders in the province best support in said development initiative which benefits the women sector.
Conceptualized as a ‘trainers’ training’, the orientation seminar on skills and product enhancement will gather together 40 women leaders (30 from IP communities, and 10 from coastal towns).
Collaborating in said activity were partners of the LCW on the ‘Aliguas IPs ed Pangasinan’ (Support Projects Implementation in IP communities in Pangasinan) to include the Provincial Government of Pangasinan, National Indigenous Peoples Commission – Pangasinan, Pangasinan Provincial Police Office and Junior Chamber International – Lingayen Liberation II.
The orientation seminar on its first day encompasses presentations and discussions on the following : Business Registration and Entrepreneurship (DTI Pangasinan), Good Manufacturing Practices and Standard Sanitary Operating Procedure (BFAR – Region 1), Awareness Seminar on Packaging and Labelling (DOST Pangasinan), License to Operate (Food and Drugs Administration – Region 1), Livelihood Assistance of the Provincial Government (Provincia Population Office).
Second day of the seminar starts with the lecture on Crime Awareness and Prevention (Pangasinan Police Provincial Office) to be followed by Skills Demonstration by LGU – Alaminos City for the E-Bamboo Products Processing, and by the Office of the Provincial Agriculture for the Bangus Products Processing.
Expected to attend the said event are: Gov. Espino, Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr., and 2nd district Board Member Raul Sison, who cahirs the Sangguniang Panlalawigan committee on women, children and senior citizen.
The presentation of the manifesto of commitment to the collaborating partners of the ‘Aliguas’ IP advocacy will be held during the closing ceremony.
By Dexter A. See