By Joseph Almer Pedrajas
Tricycle drivers in Pasig City whose source of income has been affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) will be able to earn a living again through a program initiated by the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
(VP Leni Robredo Facebook page/MANILA BULLETIN)
Vice President Leni Robredo on Friday announced that her office's "Community Mart" initiative, an online delivery service aimed at helping small-scale vendors and tricycle drivers, will also be launched in the city soon.
"Parating na kami, Pasig City! Sa paglalayon nating matulungan ang market vendors at tricycle drivers na naapektuhan ng ECQ, magbubukas na rin ang ating Community Mart program sa Lungsod ng Pasig, sa pakikipagtulungan ng lokal na pamahalaan doon (We're coming, Pasig City! In our aim to help our market vendors and tricycles drives affected by the ECQ, we will also launch our Community Mart in Pasig, in partnership with its local government)," she said in her Facebook post.
Before Pasig, the OVP launched the program in Quezon City in mid-May. It was welcomed by small-time vendors and tricycle drivers, who said that it was a "blessing" for them.
“They were telling us how much of a blessing this project is to them. Sa mga vendors, dagdag kita! Sa mga drivers, ngayon lang uli sila nagkaroon ng kita after two months (For the vendors, they have additional income! For the drivers, they are now earning again after two months),” Robredo said in her previous Facebook post.
“Our program is more focused on capacitating small vendors who otherwise do not have the means and the resources to have online presence and cannot compete with the others,” she added.
The program will allow Pasig City residents to buy goods through a mobile application called Community Mart and can pay upon delivery. The accredited tricycle drivers will deliver the goods to them.