ANGELES CITY — The city government of Angeles launched a livelihood program aimed to aid home-based sewers amid the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Under the said livelihood program, the city, through its Public Employment Service Office (PESO), will hire home-based sewers to produce reusable face masks and personal protective equipment (PPEs).
Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. said the program aims to provide sustainable livelihood for marginalized sectors including solo parents, persons with disability (PWDs), stay-at-home parents, and women’s group, in order to help them recover financially.
“In this time of pandemic, the livelihood of many Angeleños was affected. That is why we came up with a livelihood project that they can do even while they are at the comforts of their homes,” he said.
Aside from providing livelihood, the project, he said, is also a way to protect the environment since the finished products will be reusable facemasks and PPEs.
Under the program, each sewer is required to have his or her own sewing machine, while all the needed materials such as fabric, bands, and threads will be provided by the PESO.
PESO personnel will also conduct ocular inspection in all applicants’ house to assess the equipment used and the cleanliness of the surrounding, before they can qualify for the program.
For her part, Angeles City Economic Development Investment and Promotions Office Officer-in-Charge Irish Bonus-Llego said each sewer is required to produce 250 facemasks per week, and 20 PPEs per month.
An amount of PhP4 per facemask and PhP300 per PPE will be paid to the sewers every 15 days.
Meanwhile, Lazatin said they are also planning to tap local designers to create designs and patterns for the facemask livelihood program.
“This way, they will be able to help with the program while also promoting their talents and skills in designing,” Lazatin added.
Aside from the production of facemasks and PPEs, other livelihood programs currently being planned by the city government include tinapa-making, basket weaving, eco-bag making, rice retailing, and atchara-making.