ISABELA CITY, BASILAN – Twenty-five (25) skilled women from the Baluno Women’s Association (BWA) underwent a 2-day training with the Department of Labor and Employment Region 9 (DOLE 9) thru its Isabela City Field Office (ICFO) on September 19-20, 2019 at Barangay Sunrise, Isabela City, Basilan.

DOLE 9 Regional Director Ofelia B. Domingo said that the training was intended to capacitate beneficiaries under the Sustainable Livelihood Framework which is a five-year strategy aimed at facilitating the transition of livelihood projects of the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) beneficiaries into sustainable and competitive enterprises.

Under the said program, the enrolled demonstration projects will be prioritized and given interventions that will strengthen their organizations including increased access to resources such as assistance on trainings, capital, credit financing and technology.

BWA, enrolled under the program, is composed of 55 members and was given a livelihood grant worth P 659,354.00 for a bakery cum refreshment project thru DOLE’s Accredited Co-Partner, Barangay LGU Baluno.

The beneficiaries were trained on financial literacy, simple bookkeeping, marketing strategies and business registration facilitated by resource speakers City PESO Manager Rosella T. Luna, Ms. Maria Carmen Garcia La Guardia of Negosyo Center – Isabela City, Financial Literacy Advocate Ms. Ara Belleng – Executive Assistant of Mayor Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman, Philhealth Insurance Corporation – Isabela City Personnel headed by Mr. Erwin Evangelista and Mr. Jay-Jil Tan.

BWA President Ms. Alfonsa D. Solon thanked DOLE and its partners in her closing remarks:

“Daghan kayo salamat sa DOLE ug lain pang ahensiya nga gapadayon gayod ug tabang sa imong mga women sa Baluno. Sa tanan among natun-an labi na sa financial literacy ang among grupo wais nami sa among mga desisyon labi na sa pagpadaggan sa among proyekto sa Bakery ug Refreshment.” (Thank you very much to DOLE and all other partner agencies that continue to support the women of Baluno. From all the things we learned especially from the Financial Literacy sessions, we are now wiser in our decisions in managing the bakery and refreshment project.)

Ending the program, all BWA officers shouted in unison: “Ang Baluno Women’s Association ay wais”.

END/ With reports from Marilyn J. Anoos, LEO-III, ICFO