TACLOBAN CITY—The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) turned over P4.5 million in assistance to the provincial government of Northern Samar to support its livelihood initiatives.

The funding will benefit community-based enterprises in the municipalities of Gamay, San Vicente, and Victoria. Of the total amount, P2.9 million was a grant from DOLE, while P1.6 million came from both agencies to fund projects under the Barangay Livelihood Empowerment and Sustainability (BLES) Program and other community-based initiatives.
This assistance will bolster programs led by Governor Edwin Ongchuan and Vice Governor Clarence Dato, aiming to promote community empowerment and sustainable economic growth through partnerships with national government agencies and local organizations.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY-Cooperatives all over the region gained traction and helped in fueling local economy to make a dent in the efforts of bringing more jobs, encouraging enterprise and even wealth distribution.

In the recent Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas in Tacloban City, Cooperative Development Authority Assistant Regional Director Maripaz Del Pilar said there are a total of 1,349 registered cooperatives in the region and covers areas such as financing, employees’ cooperative, enterprise, agriculture, among others.

Del Pilar said the profits generated by these cooperatives are often reinvested in the cooperative itself or distributed among members, who in turn spend or invest these funds in the local economy, helping drive local growth.

CDA also pointed out that a number of cooperatives have also diversified their investments into transportation, hotels, and other tourism enterprise which add stir to the local economy.

The region also has three operating billionaire cooperatives which are the Perpetual Help Credit Cooperative Inc. in Tacloban City, Southern Leyte Employees Multipurpose Cooperative in Southern Leyte, and the Allen Municipal Officials, Employees and Communities Multipurpose Cooperative in Northern Samar.

Billionaire cooperatives are those that have already exceeded the micro (P3 million and below), small (P3,000,001 to PhP15 million), medium (P15,000,001 to P100 million), and large (more than P100 million) categories.

Cooperatives in the agricultural sector comprise the most number of registered cooperative in the region. Coops involved in the production, processing and packaging of local products such as tuba, banana chips, cassava chips and other products, have even leveled up its competitiveness and viability to be at par with other producers in the local markets.
“We are providing our cooperatives with capacity building and training skills so they can exist longer and grow,” Del Pilar said.

The CDA is mandated by law to promote the viability and growth of cooperatives as instruments of equity, social justice and sustainable economic development.

The advancement of cooperatives in the Philippines has been the leading advantage of the government as it can arise success in both urban and rural locations. A good factor of cooperatives is that they are connected with the community and have reciprocally benefited relationships with employees and its members.
(ACR, PIA Eastern Visayas)

Manila-The United States government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), recently donated more than P7.6 million ($136,000) worth of educational materials to support the continuity of learning for more than 18,500 students in areas severely affected by recent typhoons in the Bicol region.

USAID Advancing Basic Education in the Philippines (ABC+) Chief of Party Ina Aquino handed over the educational materials to Philippine Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara and DepEd Region V Director Gilbert Sadsad at Bula Central School in Bula, Camarines Sur, on December 2.

This donation demonstrates the United States’ ongoing commitment to help communities rebuild and enable children to return to school despite the setbacks caused by typhoons and flooding.

“We recognize that education is not just a means of learning, but a lifeline that helps restore hope and builds resilience,” USAID Philippines Acting Education Office Director Yvette Malcioln said. “We hope that these resources will help students and teachers recover and ensure that education can continue despite disruptions to learning caused by recent disasters.”

The aid package includes 18,600 learner kits and 8,884 early grade reading materials that will help guarantee learning continuity for students in kindergarten through grade three. USAID also donated 528 teacher kits that will support teaching staff across 54 affected schools in the region.

“The Department faced a challenge in printing textbooks. USAID and the ABC+ project came to our aid by providing us with materials and books for the children. They did not skimp on the quality of their materials and their assistance to us,” Secretary Angara said. “We are grateful to USAID and the ABC+ project.”

These educational materials are in addition to Php336 million ($6 million) in assistance that the United States has provided to support the Philippine government’s response and deliver lifesaving assistance to communities affected by tropical storms, typhoons, and subsequent flooding since October 25. (PR)