ZAMBOANGA CITY — Some 45 individuals from Ipil Municipality in Zamboanga Sibugay received negokarts and negostalls from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 9 through its Zamboanga Sibugay Field Office on May 17, 2021 at Lower Taway, Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay Province.

Regional Director Atty. Roy L. Buenafe said that the assistance is under DOLE’s Integrated Livelihood Program or widely known as the Kabuhayan Program.

“This program seeks to reduce the vulnerability to risks of the poor, vulnerable and marginalized workers by providing them access to grant assistance for capacity-building on livelihood ventures either for individual or group undertakings,” Director Buenafe said.

Particularly, the Nego-Kart/Stall is a project for ambulant vendors in major cities of the country. The project will assist the ambulant vendors in making their existing livelihood undertakings grow into profitable and sustainable business; thus, making their income level at par with that of the minimum wage earners, at the least.

The beneficiaries are ambulant vendors in bus terminals and those who already have designated spaces in local markets who sell street food.

“With the help of our Accredited Co-Partner Risen Christ Multi-Purpose Cooperative,we released the total budget of 937,000 pesos to fund the 5 karts and 45 stalls as well as tools and jigs that these beneficiaries might need to start up their respective livelihoods,” Director Buenafe added.

“We are positive that these livelihoods will take off since the beneficiaries already have prior knowledge and experience on how to manage their chosen enterprise. DOLE ZSFO will continue to monitor and provide assistance whenever possible to ensure the success of the implementation,” Mr. Ungad shared.

Ipil Municipal Mayor Anamel “Amy” Olegario along with Vice Mayor Ramsey Troy “Rambo” D. Olegario and ZSFO Head Elamsalih Ungad led the turn-over of negokarts and stalls to the beneficiaries.

/KCQG With a report from DOLE Sibugay