To continuously empower and enable South Cotabateños towards a sustainable future, the Provincial Government of South Cotabato through the Provincial Employment Service Office (PESO) allocated 5,911,345 Pesos to small business owners. The Department of Labor and Employment office of South Cotabato provided budget and materials to 282 beneficiaries as their start-up business. These beneficiaries are selected from their community and were referred by community organizers to PESO, they are also identified to be skilled and capable beneficiaries for the sustainability of the business.
Based on the data of PESO, 282 beneficiaries are composed of 2 PWD, 28 Senior Citizens, 82 Women, 31 Youth, 1 Former Rebel, 82 Self-employed with insufficient income, 21 Indigenous People (IP), 3 Minimum Wage earner, 14 Unpaid family worker, 18 Marginalized and landless farmers.
Moreover, according to Labor and Employment Officer I Flora G Cavan “Actually, the main goal of giving this livelihood program is to help reduce the poverty and at the same time to enhance their skills, because prior to the distribution of the Livelihood materials. They were also already oriented on how to properly manage their business. Primarily, this is to help them in their daily financial needs as some of them will use these as an extra income. In addition, this will also generate employment towards other people if their businesses will grow.” The following are the livelihood given to them baking, balloon business, barber shop, beads making, clay art pottery, electric coconut grinder, engine motorcycle auto repair, lamination and printing services, manicure and pedicure, nito handy crafts, salon kag taho, tufo, soya milk making.
