SANTA ROSA, LAGUNA — The Laguna Provincial Office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in partnership with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), awarded Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa (PPG) Business Packages to selected beneficiaries from Santa Rosa City, San Pablo City, and Calamba City, Laguna, on August 4, 2023. The awarding ceremony took place at the Covered Court of Berkeley Heights Subdivision, Brgy. Pulong Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa City, Laguna.
A total of 64 beneficiaries consisting of 61 former rebels and 3 calamity-affected entrepreneurs will each receive Php15,000.00 worth of business package from DTI.
Present to grace the said event were the following officials: Governor of the Province of Laguna Hon. Ramil Hernandez, DTI Regional Operations Group Assistant Secretary Dominic Tolentino Jr., DTI 4A OIC Regional Director Marissa Argente, DTI Laguna OIC Provincial Director Christian Ted Tungohan, AFP 2Lt. Jayson Oliver Sanchez, and Santa Rosa City Councilor Christopher Sarmiento (representative of Santa Rosa City Mayor Hon. Arlene Arcillas).
The PPG Program of DTI is a livelihood seeding and entrepreneurship development program for microenterprises. The convergence of concerned government agencies on the provision of livelihood assistance to economic sectors affected by incidents and other calamities including armed conflicts is a post-disaster response mechanism to address the need for continued economic activities in the affected areas.
As early as January 2023, DTI Laguna started coordination meetings with AFP and validated approximately 64 potential beneficiaries on the following month in lieu of DTI’s commitment to provide needed resources that will support the recovery and continuity of affected businesses and individuals and/or families.
The following are the guidelines in identification and selection of potential beneficiaries: Microenterprises affected by fire incidents and other calamities may be selected as potential beneficiaries. Identified beneficiaries considered as priorities of the national government such as beneficiaries Killed in Action – Wounded in Action, those identified by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, those who availed the Balik Probinsya Program, and persons of concern (refugees/stateless persons) under the Philippines’ commitment to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees may also be included in the identification and selection of potential beneficiaries.
Provision of entrepreneurial training was also facilitated last May 24, 2023, covering topics on starting up a business, consumer education, business registration, and simplified action planning. ♦
Date of Release: 10 August 2023