DTI hands over P6K livelihood 

kits in Candavid’s Dagyawan 

CANDAVID, MARIBOJOC, Bohol, Nov 6 (PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through its “Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay – Livelihood Seedling Program” (NSB-LSP), handed over to five entrepreneurs engaged in micro, small and medium businesses here in this mountain top barangay some P6,000 worth of livelihood vouchers to prop up their small sari-sari store display counters as the government bleeds its help to rural areas affected by the pinch of the pandemic. 

Given during the first Dagyawan sa barangay held here, DTI’s John Jerome Gabin representing Provincial Director Maria Soledad Balistoy explained that the five beneficiaries were identified by the Barangay Development Council and was approved by Barangay Chairman Lemuel Barbarona. 

The approval also necessitates that the beneficiaries have already an existing business since March 2020, and that they have suffered losses due to the community restrictions caused by the measures against the spread of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), he added, while taking the stage during the Serbisyo Caravan participated in by 15 national government agencies and government owned and controlled corporations as well as provincial and local governments. 

Gabin, along with Maribojoc officails handed over the P6K vouchers for their livelihood kits to Angelia, Cecilia Rebayla, Melitona Refogio, Teodula Angelia and Maria Erica Angelia. 

For her part, Maria Erica Angelia, who is also a Sangguniang Kabataan officer here could not hide her excitement with the support fund that would help her and her family expand her business, which is also serving the consumers of this barangay some 7 kilometers and about 300 meters overlooking the town. 

The DTI was just among the government agencies who were there for the Dagyawan sa Barangay’s Serbisyo Caravan in this barangay which was then identified as a passage way for the armed rebels who patrolled these tall mountains. 

Dagyawan, according to Municipal Local Government Operations Officer Sofronio Abing Jr., is a localized attempt of the government to set the tables for dialogs in communities where the government and the community stakeholders discuss issues and concerns that could be kindling points that can be manipulated by the armed groups to agitate communities to rally against the government. 

A crucial part of the Dagyawan was the Talakayan ng Mamamayan, where the community stakeholders themselves underwent a process of visioning and revisiting their barangay plans to come up with solutions to their issues, and for the government to get a better appreciation of the need and act on these. 

A barangay where most of the people weave baskets and buri mats, Candavid has seen a tightening of its economic prospects in weaving and mats after the pandemic restricted trips to Cebu, which is the main market for their goods. 

Now forced to sell their products cheap, stakeholders have asked the government for more funding support for their re-envisioned local economic activities they hope would help the people here gain better economic positions. 

Residents have hailed the DTIs livelihood kit assistance here, saying that the help not only helps the beneficiary entrepreneurs but also makes more products available to this mountain-top community. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol) 

STIRRING THE RURAL ECONOMY. The Department of Trade and Industry through Jerome Gabin handed to 5 resident MSM entrepreneurs of Candavid Maribojoc livelihood vouchers worth P6,000.00 to expand their sarisari stores counter displays and make more products available for the local residents. These beneficiaries have been identified by the Barangay Development Council as affected by the COVID-19. (jrt/PIA-7/Bohol) 

DELIGHTED FOR THE ASSISTANCE. DTI Livelihood Kit beneficiary Maria Erica Angelia said she is grateful to the government, the DTI and for giving her another shot at being a true entrepreneur after her investments were affected by the pandemic. Angelia is also an SK official here in Candavid. (jrt/PIA_7/Bohol)