In an effort to improve the lives of low-income market vendors, a total of PHP 15,375,000 million in financial assistance was distributed to 1025 market vendors from Iloilo City’s public markets through the efforts of the Cong. Jojo Ang of Uswag Ilonggo Partylist.
The first batch of payout held today, December 5 at the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand, benefited vendors from Jaro Small Public Market, Jaro Big Public Market, La Paz Public Market, Mandurriao Public Market, Arevalo Public Market, Iloilo Central Market, and Iloilo Terminal Market, to support their business ventures. A second batch of 307 more are scheduled for January 2025.
Beneficiaries underwent screening and livelihood training through the Sustainable livelihood program of Department of Social and Welfare Development to ensure they could maximize the seed capital.
The initiative is also in collaboration with the Iloilo City Government headed by Mayor Jerry Treñas, and the Iloilo City Local Economic Enterprise Office (LEEO) in support to micro-entrepreneurs who play a crucial role in the local economy.
Maria Paz De Eclarinal, a coffee vendor at Iloilo Terminal Market, shared how the financial assistance would sustain her micro-business and provide for her family’s daily needs.
“Ang ini nga bulig dako gid ni pra sa amon nga nagatinguha (This assistance is not just a financial support; it’s a means to uplift our lives) said Eclarinal.
Cong. Ang also shared that this is a continuing program as market vendors are close to his heart, “malapit sa akon ang mga gabaligya sa merkado amo ina nga pamaskwa ta gid ini sa ila, sinsero kag intero nga paghatag sang serbisyo para sa kauswagan sang mga Ilonggo”
Aside from Iloilo City, the partylist also underscored its steady efforts to support local economy in the entire region through initiatives to improve public market facilities and enterprise through construction and rehabilitation of public markets for the benefit of micro-small and medium businesses.
