Mayor Yap congratulates 1st batch of graduates of Bangon ug Abante sa Bag-ong Asenso Livelihood Project
After series of various skills trainings and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) certification, 25 women beneficiaries of the Bangon ug Abante sa Bag-ong Asenso (BABA) Livelihood Project graduated in a simple ceremony led by City Mayor John Geesnell Yap II in the Saulog Gymnasium, Sept. 10, 2021.
Mayor Yap congratulated the graduates and encouraged them to continue their aspirations of becoming an entrepreneur.
“Use all the skills that you have learned here as you venture into your business. Coupled with faith, perseverance, and hard work, these capacity buildings will help you achieve your goals of becoming financially independent in the future,” Yap said.
Just recently, Mayor Yap led the contract signing between the City Government and the University of Bohol Research Center (UBRC) as represented by its Dean, Dr. Leah Wilfreda Pilongo and the Tagbilaran City Livelihood Development Office under Adelfa Salutan.
UBRC will conduct a study on the economic strategic sub-sector value chain in the 15 barangays and the gathering of necessary, essential and closely related information needed for the establishment of the Tagbilaran City Livelihood Database.
The database would provide vital information in establishing livelihood projects for the recipients.
Mayor Yap said the information from the database would provide the necessary information as to what livelihood programs would significantly improve the Tagbilaranons’ quality of life.
City Livelihood and Community Development Unit (CLCDU) Head Adelfa Salutan shared that aside from the skills trainings, the beneficiaries are also provided with social preparatory trainings on Values Formation, Responsible Parenting, Reproductive Health, Gender Sensitivity and Development, and Financial Literacy and Management.
Dean and professors from partner institution, University of Bohol (UB), conducted the series of trainings.
The skills training on one hand, will be handled by institutional partners, Bohol Island State University (BISU) and TESDA.
The game-plan is to organize the trained beneficiaries to manage the Tagbilaran City Garments Manufacturing Cooperative, a 3-year project in partnership with First Consolidated Bank (FCB) Foundation, TESDA, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), UB, BISU, and GUGMA Tagbilaran.
Salutan said once the trained beneficiaries are equipped and empowered, they will take the lead in managing the enterprise.
Plans are making it possible to expand the business into manufacturing bags and shoes.
JICA turns over upcycling equip’t to Tagb
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will lead the turnover of the Plastic Upcycling Equipment to the City Government of Tagbilaran this coming Sept. 24, 2021, according to reports from the City Media Bureau.
JICA trained women from Tagbilaran City to create products out of used plastics in the Plastic Upcycling Facility established by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in 2015.
JICA provided the technical know-how where used plastics can be processed in the facility using the heat and cold press machines acquired by the City Government.
“This project is noteworthy, not just because of the livelihood opportunities it has given, but more so, with the social responsibility it represents. We are committed to protect our environment and we hope to reduce the volume of waste disposed in the sanitary landfill. JICA trained our women well. We are committed to nurture this new responsibility entrusted to us. We will be forever grateful to JICA for the assistance extended to Tagbilaran City,” Mayor Yap stressed.
JICA turned over the equipment for the upcycling to the City Government thru the City Livelihood and Development Office. Livelihood Head Adelfa Salutan.
The mayor said that the equipment will be used in the Souvenir Manufacturing Business under the umbrella of Bangon ug Abante sa Bag-ong Asenso Livelihood Program.
Ma. Elena Arbon, the former DTI Provincial Director, is optimistic with the project, specifically with the Plastic Upcycling, a new marketing trend which is slowly gaining ground in the industry, the strength of which capitalizes on environment driven materials which is very relevant with the advent of unusual weather phenomena such as global warming and climate change.
The plastic sheets which would be produced in the Plastic Upcycling facility will be given to the women who will then turn these into novelty items.
Arbon further explained that this is just the beginning of a journey towards identifying the niche of Bohol in marketing its product for tourists.