Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. awarded start-up assistance worth P820,000 to various women’s groups and small-scale industries under the Livelihood Assistance Program of the Provincial Government last March 9 at the Governor’s Office inside the Capitol Building.
Gov. Espino said this now brings the total amount of loan releases facilitated by the province to P18M worth of livelihood assistance to women’s groups and corporations.
According to Ellsworth Gonzales, livelihood assistance program head of the Provincial Population Office, the goal of the program is to give assistance, like loans, as a startup capital for small-scale industries (SSI).
This augmentation measure will in turn generate additional income and employment that will give the beneficiaries of additional purchasing power for better access to basic commodities like food, clothing, shelter and education.
Gonzales also added that they are usually targeting women’s groups to translate their idle time into something productive. Farmers are also prioritized so they could avail of loans with lower interest rate instead of going to loan sharks.
The livelihood associations availed of loan amounts ranging from P60,000 to P170,000.
The credit assistance provided by the province through PPO can be availed of with 4% interest in six months. However, a rebate of 2.5% will be given to the associations in case of payments made before the due date.
The program also caters to those involved in retailing, production, trading and animal raising.
The recipients of this month’s assistance program were Payar Women’s Association, Pangasinan United Farmers MPC, Don Montano Garments Craft Association, Inc., Quintinians MPC, Saint Paschal Baylon MPC and Rangtay ti Rang-ay MPC. (PIO/Darwin Magalong)
