Tapaz, Capiz -“Daku gid ang akon pasalamat sa DSWD labi na gid sa SLP sa paghatag sang kahigayunan kag kapital nga maka umpisa kami sang amon negosyo pra sa kaayuhan sang bilog nga komunidad” – Judy Santiago, SLPA President of Uswag Maliao Livelihood Association located in Barangay Maliao, Tapaz, Capiz.
Barangay Maliao is classified as one of the Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) in the Municipality of Tapaz. The community belongs to the Indigenous People group of Panay Bukidnon.
Transporting products and buying daily necessities is one of the major problems the community encounters every day. Due to the difficulty and unavailability of public transportation within the barangay and the lack of secondary school, some residents of the barangay opted to rent houses in the Poblacion.
In October 14, 2019, the Uswag Maliao Livelihood Association has received a total of P255,000 from DSWD-SLP to fund their community store project. From the fund, they were able to put up their community store in a rented space within the Poblacion. They also bought a refrigerator and the necessary raw materials and started the business operations last November 13, 2019.
“Ang pag padalagan sang isa ka negosyo indi basta-basta, ang kabudlayan nga imo maagyan kapin pa nga ginapanag-iyahan sang madamu nga miyembro. Apang sa akun dedikasyon nga maghatag sang nagakaigo nga oras, sensiridad sa handum nga makabulig indi lamang sa akon panimalay kundi sa kasubong ko man nga pigado, ang tanan nga mga pagtilaw akon nalampuwasan kag tinguhaon nga mas mangin mabakud pa gid sa mga palaabuton nga pagtilaw sang pangabuhi kag sang amon negosyo” says Mr. Santiago.
The SLPA average daily sales ranges from Php 3,000 to Php 10,000 with an average monthly gross income of Php 150,000.00. For more than four months of business operations, the SLPA is gainfully earning from their project. They have maintained a regular storekeeper with a monthly salary of Php3,000. For a housewife who does not have any source of income, this is already a big help as income augmentation to the family.
Currently, the primary markets are the SLPA members and nearby communities. The association also established a wholesaling partnership to small sari-sari stores in the neighboring barangays. Meanwhile, the Local Government Unit of Tapaz, Capiz conducts spot project monitoring to the SLPA to ensure proper usage and disbursement of fund and ensure project sustainability. /dswd6/sltn/abz/tfal