DOLE-WV Released P3.3 M Assistance to Kalibo Workers

KALIBO, Aklan- In line with the agenda of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. administration for poverty alleviation and the upliftment the economic conditions of the informal workers through sustainable livelihood, DOLE RO 6 through its Aklan Field Office reached out to 148 members of various workers groups from Brgy. Poblacion, Kalibo, Aklan to avail of the Php4,440,642.00 livelihood assistance under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP).

The Local Government Unit (BLGU) of Brgy. Poblacion, as DOLE accredited co-partner, received the assistance on March 5, 2026 for the implementation of the Bigasang Bayan and Sari-sari Store projects for the members of Kubos sa Purok II (KSP), Purok I Bayanihan Association (PBA) and Purok III C. Ledesma Bayan Association (PUCLABA).

Central to the initiative is the Bigasang Bayan Project, a community-based rice retail enterprise designed to make quality rice more accessible and affordable to barangay residents. The Bigasang Bayan project will be implemented by two community associations: Kubos sa Purok II (KSP), composed of 27 self-employed individuals and two persons with disabilities, and the Purok I Bayanihan Association (PBA), with the membership of 52 self-employed individuals.

Complementing the rice retail initiative is the Sari-sari Store Project, another community enterprise aimed at strengthening micro-entrepreneurship in the barangay. Through this project, beneficiaries will be supported in operating small retail stores that offer affordable basic commodities while providing them with a stable source of income to augment household earnings. The project will be implemented by the Purok III C. Ledesma Bayan Association (PUCLABA) with 67 self-employed members.

DOLE RO VI Regional Director, Atty. Sixto T. Rodriguez, Jr. emphasized that livelihood programs are effective tools in empowering communities and strengthening grassroots economic development. “This initiative reflects DOLE’s continued commitment to empower communities by providing sustainable livelihood opportunities. We aim to support families in building stable sources of income while contributing to the broader goal of inclusive and peaceful community and economic development,’’ Atty. Rodriguez stated.

Through the Bigasang Bayan and Sari-sari Store projects, the DOLE’s livelihood intervention strengthens both collective and individual entrepreneurship within the barangay. More importantly, the initiative promotes economic inclusion by empowering small-scale vendors and community organizations, demonstrating how community livelihood programs can contribute to both local development and community resilience.