The Office of the Vice President (OVP) isn’t only busy with its coronavirus disease response programs, but it also continuously supports its livelihood programs such as the one for the transport and informal sector.
In a live video on Facebook on Wednesday, May 12, Vice President Leni Robredo reported that her office turned over livelihood assistance to beneficiaries in the Kamuning Toda in Quezon City.
The Kamuning Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Association (TODA) is the OVP’s partner in its community mart, which was launched due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The community mart aims to connect the public to online markets and door-to-door deliveries.
“After natapos iyong community mart natin (After our community mart), we vowed to continue helping them,” she said.
Last February, Robredo personally handed the drivers their certificates of completion, which equipped them “with necessary technical skills and help them cut costs needed for vehicle repair.”
Before the financial grant from the OVP, the drivers had to undergo a five-day training program to upgrade their skills in basic motorcycle repair.
“Kasi ang tingin natin makakatulong para sa kanila to upgrade ang kanilang skills lalong lalo na napakahirap ng pinagdadaanan natin ngayon. And ‘yung mga transport sector members isa sila talaga sa pinakamost affected by the pandemic (Because we think that upgrading their skills will help them, especially because we are going through such a difficult time today. The transport sector members are the most affected by the pandemic),” she said, adding that the first batch of beneficiaries have good things to say about the program.
“So iyong first batch natin encouraging result. Nagrereport sila sa atin na umiba na ang buhay (Our first batch has an encouraging result. They reported to us that their lives have changed).”
Aside from the transport sector, the vice president said her office also has a livelihood assistance program for the market vendors, farmers, fisherfolks, women, street vendors, and many others.
Robredo’s office is also supporting civic society organizations, many of which involve the transport sector, too.
“We think napakahalaga nito (We think this is very important) as we try to build a better normal after the pandemic,” Robredo said.