Talibon SLPA Operates Bigasan ng Bayan, Partners with KOICA

In October 2014, the DSWD SLP organized the Poblacion Self-Employment Assistance tungo sa Kaunlaran (SEA-K) in Barangay Poblacion, Talibon, Bohol. It is composed of sixty-six (66) members, who are all Pantawid partner beneficiaries.

Most of the members are fishermen and the others have managed their individual mini sari-sari store in their houses. These are the members’ common livelihoods which do not guarantee to have a stable income.

Seven months after the group’s formation, the DSWD SLP granted in May 2015, the Poblacion SEA-K the amount of Php 660,000.00 to start their new individual business project. Each member was excited to manage and operate their desired livelihood project. They received Php 10,000.00 each as capital which they used to venture into buy and sell of fruits and vegetables; fish and food vending; seaweeds and vegetable farming; sari-sari stores; hog fattening and other livestock production; retailing; among others.

They chose these kinds of livelihood projects since selling basic commodities are in demand in the community.
On the same year, these aspiring entrepreneurs also attended some training on simple bookkeeping and financial literacy.

Barely two years of managing their individual businesses, the SEA-K members decided to do a rice retailing livelihood project as a group and call it Bigasan ng Bayan. Since the group needs to be registered with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), they changed their name from Poblacion SEA-K to Poblacion Talibon Association for Sustainable Livelihood (PTASL).

The PTASL is managed by the following officers: Milagros Fidel, President; Lydia Quilario, Vice-president; Jona Yusay, Secretary; Ma. Luna Furog, Treasurer; Ethel Tindoy, Auditor; and Public Relations Officers Cecilia Broza, Cleopas Tero & Emelda M. Aguhar.

Out from the capital fund that the members received in 2015, they agreed to contribute Php 1,000 each to materialize the association’s plan. They have gathered Php 65,000 as their starting capital for their new livelihood project, Bigasan ng Bayan.

Since all of them are Pantawid members, they agreed to patronize their store for the association to generate more income especially during payouts.

In March 2017, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Philippines became the association’s business partner. They provide good quality milled rice from the local farmers in Bohol province. It has regularly delivered three (3) kinds of milled rice like Special Milled Rice (SMR), Well Milled Rice (WMR) and Under Milled Rice (UMR).
KOICA is the regular consumer/buyer of the Bohol farmers’ raw harvests. It is the one that processes the milling of palay and provides bulk supply to the Association especially during payouts through consignment in a low price. The association would save around 50 pesos for every 25 kilos of rice that they will purchase from KOICA.

The association’s average monthly income is Php 20,000 and would reach up to Php 80,000 during pay outs. The members agreed that half of the income goes to the bank. The remaining amount, after deducted for the labor cost is equally divided to all members.

Their generated income is divided into two. Half of it goes to the bank and the other half is used for the labor cost and the remaining balance is equally divided to all members.

After a year of Bigasan ng Bayan business operation, the members of the association agreed to expand the project into general merchandize. This led them to be more involved and be active in the livelihood project.

The officers responsibly take good care of the group. In times of conflict, everyone is involved in resolving it. During their monthly meeting, the treasurer would present a report to the group so that everybody would know the financial status of their business. They aimed to have a monthly profit sharing of not less than Php 400.00 each member. This effort leads them to persevere in running the business and build more trust to one another.

To unite more the members of the association, they actively participate in community services such as feeding program to those primary children in the mountain areas of the municipality; participation to coastal clean-up and Brigada Eskwela.

Located in Poblacion Public Market, the PTASL is already registered with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), National Food Authority (NFA) and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

“Dako gyud kaayo among kalipay nga nakapatigayon gyud kami og dugang nga negosyo. Amo kining gipangandoy ug amo kining ugmaron matarong. Makagarbo kaayo ang among negosyo ug ang among asosasyon (We are overjoyed that we have expanded our business. This is a dream come true for us and we promise to take good care of this. We are so proud of our business and our association),” expressed by Ma. Luna Furog, the association’s treasurer.
From Php 65,000 capital fund in 2017, the association has more than Php 900,000 income this 2019.

“Nagpasalamat gyud ko og dako sa Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) tungod sa livelihood project nga among nadawat. Tungod niini, nakabaton gyud kami og among kaugalingon nga negosyo nga nakatabang sa among tagsa-tagsa ka pamilya (I am grateful to DSWD because of the livelihood project we received from the agency. Because of this, we were able to have our own business that extremely help us.),” said Milagros Fidel, President of Poblacion Talibon Association for Sustainable Livelihood.