In a significant boost to local economies, six associations across two municipalities in southern Negros Occidental have launched new livelihood projects this February, supported by the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP). The Bantayan SLP Workers Association in Kabankalan City has initiated an electronic payment service project, funded with a PHP300,000 seed capital from the program. This initiative, in collaboration with Rizal Commercial Banking Corp, aims to enhance transaction efficiency, accessibility, and security within the community.
Ramil Raquit, the SLP provincial coordinator for Negros Occidental, has urged the association members to sustain their unity and expand the e-payment services to further improve their livelihoods. Meanwhile, in Hinigaran town, five additional projects have been rolled out, with seed capitals ranging from PHP350,000 to PHP400,000. These include a general merchandise store by the Hinigaran Persons with Disability Vendors Association and a rice retailing project by the Hinigaran Women’s Agripreneur Association, both located in Barangay Paticui.
Other initiatives in Hinigaran include a rice retailing project by the Alliance of the Hinigaran Gays Association in Barangay Tagda, carwash services by the Alliance of Hinigaran Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association Federated Association in Barangay 3, and a retail and wholesale operation for fresh produce and fish by the Hinigaran Market Vendors Association in Barangay IV.
These projects are designed to meet the basic needs of the community while fostering sustainable income sources and enhancing the quality of life for the participants. The SLP, a capacity-building initiative, targets poor, vulnerable, and marginalized households, providing them with the necessary resources to establish and maintain thriving livelihoods.