Proving that they do not just rely on their monthly cash grants for their survival and daily subsistence, 60 mother-beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program from Vallehermoso in Negros Oriental have organized themselves and set-up their own meat processing business.

They were assisted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) by providing them skills training and seed capital of P600,000 to start their chosen enterprise.

Calling their group Sustainable Livelihood (SL) Vallehermoso, the newbie entrepreneurs are now the supplier of the meat requirements for the Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP) of day care centers in the town.

DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said that providing livelihood assistance to Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries through the SLP would enable them to establish a source of income to complement their cash grants from the program.

These 60 mothers are among the 681,030 Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries nationwide who have been provided by DSWD with skills training and capital assistance, from January 2011 to July 2015.

Pantawid Pamilya is a human development program that invests in the health and education of poor families, primarily those with children aged 0-18. It provides monthly cash grants to beneficiaries who comply with the conditions of sending their children to school, bringing them to health centers for checkups, and attending the monthly Family Development Sessions (FDS).

Starting up

To have their own legal identity, the association complied with and secured all the necessary documents and permits to operate, like accreditation from the Bureau of Internal Revenue, official receipt and accreditation from the local government.

The group also elected its officers to manage and operate the micro-enterprise. It also established its own office in the public market area provided by Vallehermoso Mayor Joniper Villegas.

As the association takes its initial steps to become a full-fledged business, it first ventured into bidding for the supply of meat for the SFP in Vallehermoso.

The group eventually won the bidding. The group members then immediately organized themselves into different committees to take charge of stocking, purchasing, repacking, packaging, labeling, and delivery.

The demand is high because the association has to supply 350 kilos of chicken and 275 kilos of pork every week.

To also ensure that all the members are well prepared in their first business venture, they underwent training on meat processing as well as on values formation, organizational development, and financial management.

“Aduna gyud kausaban kung itandi nimu sa una. Kay sauna nga wala pa ang Pantawid Pamilya ug SLP pigado jud kaayu, karun makapadayon jud ug eskwela akung mga bata gani karun akung kamagulangan graduating na sa college, ang ikaduha naku nga anak kay grade 8 ug ikatulo nga bata kay grade 6 na (There is really a change in our situation now compared before. Life is better now with my children all in school. In fact, my eldest is a graduating student in college, my second child is in grade 8, and my third child is in grade 6),” shared Susana Yee, President of  SL Vallehermoso.

“Sa pagkakarun, ang among organisasyon kay makahalin na ug P 12,000.00 matag semana ug dako gyud ni nga tabang sa among mga pamilya (Currently, our organization earns P12,000 per week which is a great help to our families),” added Susana.

They also know how to value their hard-earned money by depositing these in a local bank.

Now, the association has expanded into cassava production and money lending.

Furthermore, the organization has put up a sari-sari store.

Aside from profit-sharing, members who raise hogs can sell these to the association giving them an additional earning of P1,500 per hog.

The group also provides non-Pantawid Pamilya mothers and other women some opportunities to earn by tapping them to help in the meat production process and in manning the other livelihood projects.

Sec. Soliman said that the positive changes in the lives of the beneficiaries indicate that government programs are indeed being felt.

“If the gains of Pantawid Pamilya, SLP, and other government programs will be sustained, inclusive growth will become a reality,” Sec. Soliman concluded.