Bent on providing sustainable livelihood to beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development Bicol signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Nasol Haircraft Corporation, Fundline Finance Corporation (FFC) and Entrepreneurs Alumni Development Cooperative (EADCOOP). The partnership agreement was held last June 13, 2014 at Barangay Cumon, Camalig, Albay.

Regional Director Arnel B. Garcia expressed his gratitude to each partners for providing livelihood opportunities to the beneficiaries of the Program. He said that this partnership is an opportunity to business establishments to carry out their social responsibility by paying it forward in helping the poor earn and sustain their living.

The Nasol Haircraft Corporation is a company that produces synthetic hair like wigs and hair extensions. Its partnership is comprised of hiring 120 pantawid pamilya beneficiaries’ as factory workers who will be trained in producing wigs and hair extensions, since it plans to expand its branches in Masbate province. Currently, it operates in Camalig, Albay as its main factory and in Legazpi City as its branch.

Merry N. Belludo, president and CEO of Nasol Haircraft, envisions a positive impact of the partnership by alleviating the lives of its employees. She also hopes for a longer partnership with the Department.

Restie B. Buena, regional manager of FFC, a micro-lending/financing company will help also in employment facilitation and enterprise development. They allocated 71 positions to be filled by pantawid pamilya beneficiaries as financial consultants and branch secretaries. Out of the 71, four beneficiaries has already passed the pre-employment examination for branch secretary and one for financial consultant. Sixteen pantawid pamilya beneficiaries were also provided with P8,000 – P35,000 as seed capital.

In the same light, EADCOOP, a micro-finance institution organized by graduates of Bicol University in 1986, facilitating financial, managerial and technical assistance to entrepreneurs in pursuit for small or large scale business, commits to provide skills trainings and enterprise development to beneficiaries who are willing and potential to establish their own business. “We commit for a better partnership and continuously support the Department’s endeavor in helping the poor,” said Regine N. Moyo, board secretary of EADCOOP.

Dir. Garcia also stresses to the beneficiaries that the livelihood assistance is a once in a lifetime opportunity. “Opportunity knocks only once, so you should value it, be committed and trustworthy, so that in return they (private companies) will continue in supporting, helping, and opening more livelihood opportunities to you as pantawid pamilya beneficiaries of the Program,” he said.

He added that the promising partnership with institutions from private sector, the Department sees the potential in creating a formidable alliance between the private and public sector through more sustainable livelihood opportunities.***G.A.N.L, Info. Officer