The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) is expected to create 10,458 direct jobs on 904 small and medium enterprises and seven people’s organizations in the Mimaropa Region (Region IV-B) this year under 10 priority Project GRACE (Generating Resources of Agencies for Community Enterprises).
The Mimaropa region is composed of the provinces of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan .
Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said these 10,458 direct jobs would require a total investment of P16 million. The jobs will boost the family incomes of the workers to be employed, as well as the economies of the beneficiary-provinces.
The identified projects and the number of jobs expected to have are in Occidental Mindoro, upgrading of the salt production, 1,500 jobs; support to high value of crop production, 5000 jobs; in Oriental Mindoro, integrated coconut production , 58 jobs; and Toll Packaging Center, 500 jobs; in Marinduque, arrow root-based production, 100 jobs; and promotion and development of coco-based products, 1,000 jobs; in Romblon, arrow root, cassava, peanuts and turmeric production, 880 jobs; and establishment of GMP-compliant food (peanuts, fish, arrow root, turmeric, ginger, mango) processing facility, 120 jobs; and in Palawan, integrated food processing and packaging center, 1,000 jobs; and community-based agri-ecotourism, 300 jobs.
Baldoz said the action plans of these community livelihood projects have already been formulated.
Under Project GRACE, DoLE, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Science and Technology (DoST), Department of Agriculture and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority have agreed and committed to pool their resources and expertise in support to the above-mentioned community-based livelihood projects.
“This unprecedented convergence of these government agencies will ensure the success of these projects, maximize the use of limited government funds, and impact more clearly on the lives of our people in terms of sustainable incomes,” Baldoz said.
The agencies under the convergence projects are to perform specific roles and responsibilities.
DOST is providing research and development services, as well as the shelf life test of each processed products while DTI will provide technical assistance in label design and marketing.
DA also will provide technical assistance on planting and maintenance of product quality while Tesda on training.
On the other hand, DoLE will provide seed capital, together with DTI which provides enterprise development training. –Mina Diaz, Daily Tribune
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