By Raydes Barcia
Tabaco City—To ease the burden of the displaced workers due to the pandemic, the Department of Labor Employment in Bicol provided free bikes with complete accessories to selected beneficiaries through its “Bikecination Project” here.
Ma. Zenaida A. Angara-Campita, DOLE Bicol regional director said that “Bikecination Project”, aims to ease the plight of pandemic affected-workers across the Bicol region and promote fast economic recovery by encouraging those who have completed the two doses of COVID-19 vaccines to avail the free bikes for livelihood.
“This project provides a bicycle to qualified applicants which can be used for the delivery of food andother services, along with mobile phone and load wallet to engage in e-loading business,” she said.
The department allotted P236,923.20worth of kabuhayan starter kits which includes bikes, helmet, insulation bag, vest, raincoat, cellphone, and sim card with P4,000 load and was awarded to 10 selected beneficiaries from several barangays in Tabaco City.
Campita said the bicyclesare not just physical bikes but a livelihood opportunity, and a tool forex panding the entrepreneurial ventures of small businesses that could contributeto national productivity amid pandemic.
“Ito pong mga bisekleta ay hindi lamang natural na bisekleta kundi isang instrumento na nagpapatunay ngpatuloy na pagmamalasakit ng DOLE sa mga manggagawang labis na naapektuhan angkabuhayan dulot ng pandemya. Nawa’y magamit ninyo sa pagpapalago ng inyong mganegosyo nang sa gayon ay mas marami pa tayong matulungan na tao sa gitna ng krisis na kinakaharap ng buong mundo,” Campita said.
She said the provision of bicycles will help the workers save time and have convenient transportation while growing their businesses.
One of the 10 project beneficiaries is Joaquin Dela Torre, a food vendor, whose business wasadversely affected by the pandemic.
Dela Torre, one of the beneficiariesof “Bikecination project” expressed profound gratitude to the department as it greatly helped out to generate income and feed his family.
He said that he will use the bike to run errands and deliveries of his products, and so as the new phone fore-loading business.
“Sobrang saya ko po nanapili akong mabigyan ng bike para sa aking maliit na negosyo. Maraming salamat po sa DOLE dahil mas mapapabilis na po ang pagbebenta ko ng aking mga produkto, may bonus pang load na pwede kong pagkakitaan,” he said.
Through the “Bikecination project” of DOLE Bicol, Campita also urged the recipients to help the government spread awareness on the importance of undergoing COVID-19 vaccinationfor the safety of the people of Albay, and propel rapid economic recovery inthe province amid the pandemic. (Raydes Barcia)