DIPOLOG CITY, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines – The Region 9 office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE-9) has launched its “Negosyo sa Kariton” or “Nego-Kart” project in the mountain town of Labason, Zamboanga del Norte, initially benefiting at least 10 recipients of traveling carts.

Zamboanga del Norte DoLE Provincial Officer Henry Tianero said the Nego-Kart project is one of the latest livelihood initiatives of the labor department that is designed to help uplift the financial condition of rural residents by providing the deserving beneficiaries with livelihood grant through the provision of a push cart, tools, equipment, and raw materials to serve as their working capital.

Tianero said the joint launching and turnover program, held at the Labason town plaza, was attended by Labason town officials led by Mayor Wilfredo Balais, Vice Mayor Virgilio Go, and members of the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) together with the DoLE provincial personnel.

The special occasion was witnessed by local residents and entrepreneurs in the area.

Balais said the initial Nego-Kart beneficiaries are mostly low-income vendors selling various products that were earlier identified and recommended to the municipal government by local staff members of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

One of the Nego-Kart recipients, solo parent Porferia Morales, expressed her gratitude to the DoLE for the livelihood opportunity.

She said her Nego-Kart would enable her to travel around Labason’s outskirts and expects to increase her vending for the sake of her growing children.

According to Tianero, the DoLE regional office has scheduled the expansion, up to the end of this year, of its Nego-Kart project in strategic areas of Zamboanga del Norte as well as in other areas of the adjacent provinces of Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay.

In a related development, the national government stepped up its assistance to overseas Filipino workers (OFW’s) by way of providing entrepreneurial development training (EDT) in an effort to uplift their living condition.

Initially, at least 35 individuals composed of OFW’s and OFW beneficiaries attended the EDT seminar and workshop Cagayan de Oro City last week.

The EDT is part of the social preparation of the OFWs who would like to venture into entrepreneurship and establish or strengthen their own business.

EDT is a pre-requisite before a prospective OFW entrepreneur could avail of the Reintegration Loan Program (RLP) of the national government for the OFWs.

Included in the EDT are subjects on entrepreneurial orientation, business counseling, and business planning.

As output of the training, OFWs were made to submit their effective business plans.

Currently, the national government is allocating some P2 billion for the RLP of OFW entrepreneurs. (Mike U. Crismundo)