She left home so early and headed straight to the venue for the livelihood releasing she heard about. Going to the venue, she still felt a bit unsure. But when she arrived there, together with her husband, she was met with about a hundred food carts lined up from end to end of the gym that was used as the venue for the releasing of livelihood assistance.
Ma. Eda C. Obrador, a native of Riverside, Kaimitohan, Sapangdaku, Cebu City said she still could not believe it that the form she filled out months ago would transform into a 5-in-1 Food Cart Business!
The Food Carts are equipped with an LGP tank, stove, deep fryer, food containers, cooler, ingredients (hot dogs, French fries, etc.), pan and other cooking equipment all worth about more than Twenty-Seven Thousand Pesos each package.
Misty-eyed, she said, “Mapasalamaton ko ug daku kay mapun-an na gyud ang akong kita. Gibaliwala ra gyud naku ang akong gi-fill out nga form, unya na-surprise ko sa dihang nay nitawag naku nga naa na ang Food Cart.”
Ma. Eda works at home as a dressmaker, while her husband, already retired, just helps at home.
“Blessed kaayo ko nga usa ko sa napilian nga makadawat ani nga food business. Salamat kaayo DOLE ning maong livelihood assistance,” she added.
Ma. Eda is one of the 137 individuals coming from the different barangays in Cebu City, who each received a livelihood starter kit dubbed as Negosyo sa Kariton (NegoKart).
Tri-City Field Office (TCFO) Chief, Marites G. Mercado said that for the said livelihood release, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-7) shelled out 3.7 Million Pesos.
“Apart from the Food Cart Business given to the beneficiaries, they also were covered with a Group Personal Accident Insurance with the GSIS for one year,” she said.
Said beneficiaries are mostly self-employed but whose income is not enough for their respective families’ daily needs. “Some of them lost their jobs. While some lost their livelihood due to the pandemic and the devastating effects of Typhoon Odette, which struck the entire province of Cebu last December 2021,” she added.
DOLE-7 OIC-Regional Director, Lilia A. Estillore congratulated all beneficiaries and urged all of them to take care of what they received from the government through the Department of Labor and Employment.
“It’s not every day that DOLE is giving out livelihood assistance such as the NegoKarts. And of all people who could possibly benefit from it, sila gyud ang napilian. Mao nang, ato silang gi-awhang sa pag-amping ug pag-amuma sa ilang negosyo. Nanghinaut ta nga ilaha ning palambu-on aron taas pa kini ug maabtan unya mas daghan na unya silang matabangan gawas sa ilang kaugalingon ug tagsa-tagsa ka pamilya,” said Director Estillore.
The livelihood assistance extended to the beneficiaries was born out of the DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP), that targets to contribute to poverty reduction and reduce the vulnerability to risks of the working poor, vulnerable and marginalized workers either through emergency employment, and promotion of entrepreneurship and community enterprises.
Overjoyed and excited, Ma. Eda planned to put up the Food Cart either in front of their home or at any viable place near the school in their area.
“Apil pudko sa gipahigayon nga Milk Tea Making Skills Training. So, naa nakoy idea unsaon paghimo ug milk tea. Lipay kaayo ko. Daku kaayo ning tabang naku ug sa among pamilya,” she said.
For a start-up business, she could now start selling empanada, hot dogs, French fries, milk tea, and other street food./PR
