CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — About 368 micro enterprises from 58 barangays in Central Luzon received livelihood starter kits from Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
The grant, worth PhP2.19 million for Region 3, is part of the Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay-Livelihood Seeding Program of DTI and is a component of the Social Amelioration Program of the government under Republic Act 11469 otherwise known as Bayanihan to Heal As One Act.
“The distribution of starter kits intends to help micro enterprises recover and restart their livelihood amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of cash, livelihood packages amounting from PhP5,000 to 8,000 were distributed to beneficiaries in affected barangays,” DTI Regional Director Judith Angeles said.
As of July 28, Bataan has the most beneficiaries with 104 followed by Tarlac with 84, Nueva Ecija-69, Zambales-46, Pampanga-45, Aurora-15 and Bulacan-5.
“The items in the starter kits vary according to the kind of livelihood in the communities,” Angeles furthered.
These include sari-sari store items, coconut products and processing tools, food processing kits, doormat making tools, ingredients and materials for kakanin and other delicacies, pillow cases and pot holder materials, electronic supplies, fresh fish processing materials, street food ingredients and cooking equipment, aluminum and glass materials, upholstery tools and materials, rice, and mushroom processing materials.