DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Davao City Council has approved an economic program to help support women-initiated business in the city.
The “Magnegosyo ‘Ta, Day” (Let’s Start Business) is sponsored by the Council’s Committee on Labor chaired by Pamela Librado-Morata, and was initiated by Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to address gender empowerment.
“This program aims to alleviate poverty and promote, and guarantee the civil and socio-economic rights of women residing in Davao City,” Councilor Librado-Morata said during the Council’s deliberation on Tuesday.
The MTD program will give loans and grants to marginalized grassroots rural women, unemployed women, victim-survivors of violence, trafficked and prostituted women, solo parents, displaced overseas workers, street vendors, and indigenous women from the ten major tribes in the city.
The requisites for women to avail of this program is a one-year minimum residency of Davao City, aged 21 years above, a member of an association or local cooperative, with capacity to create and manage a business enterprise.
The loans or grant will be provided by the City Government of Davao, with the support of the City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO), and the City’s Integrated Gender and Development Division (IGDD).
Employment in the city has been affected by the pandemic as businesses and enterprises have slowed or shutdown while the city government has established work-for-cash schemes. (davaotoday.com)
